French and Irish beef is expected to hit the South Korean market soon following the completion of South Korea’s approval of beef imports from the two European nations. 

In a press release on Thursday, the European Commission(EC) announced Seoul’s removal of trade barriers for French and Irish beef, saying that South Korea has officially opened market access for beef from both countries.

Describing the market access for French and Irish beef in South Korea as a “significant development” for the European beef industry, the EC said that other EU member states will soon follow in being able to export beef to South Korea.

South Korea closed its market to beef from 15 EU member states in 2000 due to outbreaks of bovine spongiform encephalopathy(BSE), widely referred to as “mad cow disease.”

In 2019, the Netherlands and Denmark obtained the right to export their beef to South Korea, while France and Ireland secured market access to South Korea with parliamentary approval last December.