韩国正式解除对进口美国牛肉禁令

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South Korea has lifted a formal ban on U.S. beef imports. Authorities are also taking a harder line on street protesters opposing the imports, now that an amended deal has been reached with Washington.

韩国正式解除了从美国进口牛肉的禁令。与此同时，韩国当局在跟华盛顿达成了一个经过修改的协议之后，也对反对进口的街头抗议者采取了更加强硬的立场。

South Korean authorities says inspections of warehoused U.S. beef can begin immediately. They took final administrative steps which could make the beef available to South Korean consumers as early as next week.

韩国当局表示，可以立即开始检查库存的美国牛肉。当局采取了最后的行政措施，从而使韩国的消费者最早在下个星期就可以买到美国牛肉。

More than 5,000 tons of U.S. beef are being held in South Korean customs facilities. It was shipped in expectation that South Korean President Lee Myung-bak's April deal to resume U.S. beef imports would soon go into effect.

目前韩国海关设施里存放着五千多吨美国牛肉。这些牛肉早些时候运抵韩国，因为外界预期李明博4月跟美国的谈判会导致很快恢复进口美国牛肉。

South Korea banned U.S. beef five years ago, after a single American animal was found to have mad cow disease. Doctors say the brain ailment can be transmitted in some cases to humans who consume tainted beef.

韩国5年前禁止进口美国牛肉。当时，美国发现一头牛有疯牛病。医生说，这种牛脑疾病在某些情况下可以通过牛肉传染给人。

There has never been a documented human case of such brain disease linked to consumption of U.S. beef. Regardless, many South Koreans have become convinced U.S. beef poses a health threat, and have conducted about two months of street protests against President Lee.

到目前为止，还没有出现人类因为食用美国牛肉感染疯牛病的案例。但许多韩国民众还是深信美国牛肉具有健康威胁，并发动针对总统李明博的长达两个月的街头抗议。

South Korea and the United States have now amended the beef import deal to bar shipments of older beef, seen as having a higher risk of mad cow disease. Prime Minister Han Seung-soo urged the nation to accept the new deal.

韩国与美国政府修改了牛肉进口协议，禁止美国出口月龄较大的老牛的牛肉，因为老牛肉被认为比较容易感染疯牛病。韩国总理韩升洙呼吁民众接受新的协议。

He says the beef deal may not be perfect, but the government has done its very best to safeguard the people's health.

韩升洙说：“这个牛肉进口协议或许不算完美，但韩国政府已经尽一切努力来保障民众健康。”

Han adds, the government will take strict measures against illegal protests. Violence and illegal actions, he says, are intolerable.

韩升洙还表示，首尔当局将对一切违法人员采取严厉措施，绝对不允许暴力和非法行为。

South Korean police are already taking a more robust approach toward protesters, who have dwindled in numbers but become more aggressive.

韩国警方已经开始对抗议人士采取更强硬的手段，抗议群众的人数虽然有减少，但行为更加激烈。

About 130 people were detained early Thursday after assaulting police vehicles, and engaging in scuffles with officers on duty.

星期四，大约有130名抗议人士在攻击警车以及与警察抗争后遭到拘留。