Korea resumes poultry exports to Hong Kong

South Korea has resumed its exports of poultry meat products to Hong Kong for the first time in nearly two years as the country has been cleared of the bird flu virus, the agricultural ministry said Sunday.

Quarantine authorities said Hong Kong agreed with its South Korean counterparts to import South Korea-produced chickens, ducks and related products starting from Friday, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

Hong Kong had halted imports of South Korea poultry products since May 2014 following an outbreak of avian influenza in South Korea.

As South Korea regained bird flu-free status since Feb. 28, local poultry farmers have been allowed to ship their products, the ministry added.

"We will put all-out efforts into preventing a possible bird flu outbreak to help poultry exports to Hong Kong continue further," the agricultural ministry said in a release.

The infectious animal disease broke out in January 2014 in South Korea, but no confirmed cases were reported since November last year. (Yonhap)