hankyoreh

U.S. beef is expected to be sold in department stores and discount outlets nationwide starting next month, local retailers said Tuesday.

They said 20 retail chains are preparing to put American beef on their store shelves on Aug. 9 and are buying imported meat in expectation of consumer demand.

"There is an agreement to carry out joint promotional campaigns to reduce the backlash associated with selling U.S. beef," a representative of a discount store said.

The manager, who declined to be identified, said that by working together, department stores and discount outlets hope to deflect attacks by civic groups and cattle farmers that disrupted U.S. beef sales in six Lotte Mart stores last week.

These groups have warned that if Lotte Mart continues to put "unsafe meat" on its shelves they will organize a boycott of all stores run by retailer Lotte Group and products made by the conglomerate. Lotte operates South Korea's largest department store chain and second-largest discount store.

The groups claimed U.S. beef remains unsafe for human consumption because it was exposed to mad cow disease, and stores that sold it risked the health and well-being of South Koreans.

South Korea banned U.S. beef in December 2003 after a mad cow case was reported. It signed an agreement to allow imports of boneless beef in January 2006, and the first shipments cleared quarantine in late April.

Despite the protests, the South Korean office of the U.S. Meat Export Federation said many stores have expressed keen interest in selling American beef, particularly because it is much cheaper than locally produced Hanwoo beef.

Despite sales disruptions, Lotte Mart reported, it sold up to four times more imported meat on the first day American beef was offered than in the past.

As of last week, the country imported roughly 1,500 tons of U.S. meat. Industry sources said if bone-in beef such as ribs is allowed to enter the country, demand for American beef will rise sharply.

Before the ban, American beef accounted for the bulk of imports due to its affordable prices and quality.
SEOUL, July 17 (Yonhap News)