The first shipment of U.S. beef in three years arrived in South Korea on Monday. The nine-ton shipment from Creekstone Farms Premium Beef is currently undergoing quarantine inspections and is expected to go on sale in about 15 days.

South Korea announced reopening of its market to U.S. boneless beef from cattle less than 30 months of age in September. But U.S. beef exporters, concerned about South Korea's zero tolerance on bone chips, are unlikely to push exports until the policy is loosened. Before the ban on U.S. beef exports, South Korea was the third-largest market for U.S. product.

A Reuters report cites a recent poll of 651 South Koreans by the Korea Rural Economic Institute that showed more than 70% of respondents indicating no plans to buy U.S. beef. But other consumers are eagerly awaiting the arrival of the cheaper U.S. product.
-- P. Scott Shearer, Washington, D.C., correspon