Hong Kong resumes imports of South Korean chicken and eggs after over a year

South Korea has resumed exports of chicken and eggs to Hong Kong, more than a year after shipments were halted by an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said Sunday it had concluded quarantine negotiations with the Hong Kong government, allowing exports of poultry products including chicken and eggs to resume as of Monday.

Hong Kong suspended imports of chicken, eggs and other poultry products on a city-by-city and county-by-county basis after highly pathogenic avian influenza broke out in South Korea in June last year. The ministry said it had been in quarantine talks with Hong Kong's Food and Environmental Hygiene Department to restore exports since quarantine restrictions were lifted in some areas in March.

The negotiations cleared the way for poultry product exports from all 36 cities and counties nationwide that had been subject to the suspension. Domestic processing facilities already registered with the Hong Kong government may begin exporting immediately after passing inspection by the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency, while new facilities may apply for registration with the agency.

There are currently 46 chicken processing facilities, among others, registered for export to Hong Kong.

The ministry said it expects the agreement to normalize fresh poultry product exports and help diversify export markets for Korean food.

"This outcome will normalize Hong Kong exports of South Korea's fresh poultry products," said Park Sang-ho, the ministry's international agricultural cooperation director. "We will continue to actively pursue quarantine negotiations with promising countries to expand Korean food exports."