Seoul’s oceans and fisheries ministry says the forced labor issues that the U.S. raised in banning sea salt products from the largest salt farm in South Korea have already been addressed, and that none of the salt produced there now is sourced from forced labor.

In response to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s decision to suspend salt imports from the Taepyung Salt Farm, the government on Monday said the company’s products now are not the result of forced labor. 

The ministry said the U.S. ban came two years and five months after a South Korean public interest organization filed a petition with the U.S. customs authority regarding a 2021 case of forced labor at the salt farm, but that the Seoul government has already taken measures to resolve the issues. 

The ministry said it will promptly review the matter and take the necessary steps to lift the withhold release order against the Taepyung Salt Farm.

The U.S. customs authority issued the order last week, banning the entry of all sea salt products from Taepyung at all U.S. ports, on the grounds that the products were produced using forced labor.