South Korea seeks U.S. beef export restraint pledge

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea's government, its support plummeting over a deal to open its market to U.S. beef, asked Washington for help in securing a pledge from exporters not to send meat from older cattle, an official said on Wednesday.

President Lee Myung-bak, bowing to pressure and mounting street protests against the deal, said on Tuesday he would not allow imports of U.S. beef from cattle over 30 months without public support.

"We have asked for cooperation from the U.S. (government) to get U.S. industry to voluntarily refrain from exporting beef 30 months or older," a government official, who asked not to be named, said.

The United States said it would not renegotiate the deal but is willing to work with its Asian ally.

Sean Spicer, a spokesman for U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab said in Washington on Tuesday that five leading U.S. beef exporters had agreed temporarily to add labels showing whether their beef came from animals over or under 30 months of age in a bid to help ease concerns among South Koreans.