Beef worries plague Korea

The president of Korea, Kim Dae-jung, has hosted a high-profile lunch to convince consumers that Korean beef is free from mad cow disease.

Mr Kim invited his Prime Minister Lee Han-dong, his foreign minister Lee Joung-binn and his agriculture minister Han Kap-soo to eat traditional Korean roast beef.

Consumption of beef in South Korea has plummetted following reports that the country had imported animal-based feed for cattle.

Meanwhile, MPs from the ruling and opposition parties have urged the government to intervene to prevent Germany and Switzerland from sending surplus beef to North Korea because of concerns about mad cow disease.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service