ANKARA

South Korea announced Friday that it is suspending imports of poultry and related products from Argentina following an outbreak of bird flu in the South American country, local media reported.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said the suspension applies to shipments loaded on or after Sunday, when the outbreak occurred in Argentina, Yonhap News Agency reported.

All poultry products shipped from Argentina and arriving in the country after Aug. 3 will be subject to mandatory testing for highly pathogenic avian influenza (AI).

"Argentine products accounted for only 0.2 percent of South Korea's poultry imports last year, so the impact on local supply will be limited," said a ministry official.

Argentina confirmed the H5 strain of highly pathogenic avian influenza at a farm in Buenos Aires province Sunday, marking the first outbreak since South Korea approved imports of Argentine poultry in December.