SEOUL : South Korea appeared on Wednesday to soften its stance in a politically-charged dispute over US beef, saying it would regard a promise by US exporters as enough to allow a resumption of imports.

Agriculture Minister Chung Woon-Chun said a pledge not to export beef from cattle which are more than 30 months old would be an acceptable alternative to renegotiating an earlier deal with Washington.

Chung earlier said Seoul would not resume US beef imports until Washington complied with a request not to export beef cuts from older cattle, which are deemed more likely to pose a risk of mad cow disease.

"The people are most concerned about beef from cattle older than 30 months. Therefore, it's important for us to prevent this kind of beef being imported," Chung said Wednesday.

"It's not important how we achieve this goal," Chung told journalists. "It can be either through renegotiations or self-regulation by exporters."

"We will regard a pledge by US exporters as complying with our request," he said earlier.

South Korea lifted its intermittent ban on US beef imports last week as it struggles to ratify a sweeping free trade agreement with the world's biggest economy.

An initial accord struck in April called for Seoul to buy almost all beef cuts, including those from cattle over 30 months old.

However, after weeks of escalating protests that have brought thousands of people onto the streets, the government Monday announced a delay and called on Washington not to export older beef as a condition for resumption.

The White House, in response, expressed its "concerns" Tuesday and said it would work with Seoul on the issue.

Nevertheless, the announcement by South Korean President Lee Myung-Bak did little to ease protests.

Some 10,000 protestors marched through the street here in drizzling rains, chanting slogans that called for a continued ban on US beef and demanded the resignation of Lee, who Tuesday marked his 100th day in office.

Lee, who took power in February vowing to reactivate the sluggish economy, has seen his popularity ratings tumble by half as early expectations fade of a quick economic recovery and the beef row eats into his credibility.

- AFP /ls