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The article reports on the statement issued by Canadian Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz that Canada is seeking a deadline for ending the ban of South Korea on its beef. It recalls that Canadian beef has been banned by South Korea since 2002 when a case of mad-cow disease was discovered in a cattle herd in Canada. Ritz also adds that Canada wants to be able to sell its products on the same terms the U.S. received when South Korea opened to U.S. beef in 2008.

The article reports on the promise by South Korean President Lee Myung-bak to speed up efforts to get his presidency back on track after reaching a modified deal with the U.S. on beef imports, an issue that raised protests. On June 20, 2008, the U.S. agreed to indefinitely permit South Korea to import U.S. beef only from cattle younger than 30 months, which is deemed to pose less risk of mad-cow disease. The protests against the original trade deal started over health concerns, but opposition politicians widened them into his policy agenda.

The article reports on the first news conference of South Korean President Lee Myung-bak since a beef-trade deal with the U.S. turned into a political crisis in the country. The president expresses his commitment to diversify his administration and change some policy goals as a result of the protests over the beef deal. Lee told U.S. President George W. Bush that Seoul needs to limit imports to beef that are younger than 30 months due to lingering concerns about mad-cow disease.

The article reports on the impact of the decision of South Korea to honor only part of a pledge to resume beef imports from the U.S. on the latter's trade policy in June 2008. Thousands of protesters held demonstrations to oppose the resumption of trade on June 8. South Korean President Lee Myung-bak stated that his country could start importing beef that does not come from older cattle, which are considered more susceptible to bovine spongiform encephalopathy or mad-cow disease. People who eat contaminated beef can contract Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.

The article reports on protests staged by South Koreans against the restarting of U.S. beef imports in 2008. The demonstrations stemmed from food-safety concerns arising from a report that mad-cow disease may still be present in the U.S. According to Kang Jae-sup, chairman of the ruling Grand National Party, the issue could affect Korea-U.S. relationships. Also mentioned are the implications of the cancellation of the beef-import deal for the U.S.

The article reports that South Korean President Lee Myung-bak postponed the restart of U.S. beef importation due to large protests organized by non-government organizations. Importation is set to restart by May 29, 2008 but according to the agriculture ministry, it will be postponed indefinitely. U.S. beef companies promised to put labels on beef shipped to Korea to indicate how old the cattle was at the time of slaughter because younger cattle are said to be at low risk in getting the mad-cow disease.

The article reports on the decision of South Korea to lift its ban on U.S. beef imports. The government expects that the move will increase demand from South Korean consumers and reduce prices. But major retailers are reluctant to sell U.S. beef imports due to the protests made activists, students and farmers. The ban was first imposed in 2003 after a case of mad-cow disease was reported in Washington, and led to the decline of beef consumption.

The article reports that South Korea has suspended beef imported from the U.S. after inspectors found bone pieces banned over mad-cow concerns in a recent shipment. The country's Ministry of Agriculture said vertebrae were found in one box of meat, which believed at risk of carrying mad-cow disease.