Heads up: South Korea agrees to resume U.S. beef imports (The Kansas City Star) South Korea agreed to resume U.S. beef imports that had been halted over fears of mad cow disease. That cleared a big hurdle to a broader trade deal with Washington just hours before the countries' leaders were to meet Friday. South Korea suspended U.S. beef imports in 2003 after mad cow disease was discovered in the U.S., cutting off what was then the third-largest market for American beef. [News Source]