South Korea’s imports of U.S. beef surpassed Australian beef imports for the first time in eight years since imports of American beef were resumed in 2008.

According to data from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, South Korea imported a total of ten-thousand-551 tons of American beef from October first to the 20th, topping Australian imports of eight-thousand-382 tons over the same period.

U.S. beef dominated the South Korean market before the Seoul government banned such imports in 2003 in the wake of a mad cow disease outbreak.

South Korea lifted the ban to accept beef from cattle under 30 months of age in late 2008 after a series of negotiations with Washington between 2006 and June 2008.