Seoul:<Text>
South Korea has suspended imports of poultry and related products from Argentina following an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza in the South American country, the agriculture ministry announced.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the suspension applies to shipments loaded on or after Sunday, when the outbreak was confirmed in Argentina. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs stated that Argentine poultry products shipped after August 3 will be subject to mandatory testing for the highly pathogenic strain of avian influenza upon their arrival in South Korea.
The ministry emphasized that Argentine products constituted only 0.2 percent of South Korea's poultry imports last year, suggesting that the impact on local supply will be minimal. Argentina confirmed the presence of the H5 strain of the virus at a farm in Buenos Aires Province, marking the first such outbreak since South Korea began importing Argentine poultry in Decemb er.