The outbreak started in late November. By mid-January, South Korea had culled about 15 per cent of the national livestock herd because of foot-and-mouth disease, along with three per cent of its poultry while fighting an avian influenza outbreak. Most animals killed were cattle. The beef supply was unstable because markets were closed and transportation restricted. South Korea was already a net importer of pork, beef and chicken.
An early January press release from the Canadian Beef Export Federation expounded upon the growth in exports “into key markets in Asia and Mexico in the first nine months of 2010,” but did not mention South Korea, where it also has an office.