SEOUL, June 21 (Reuters) - South Korea could resume U.S. beef imports as early as next week once a legal step has been completed, the trade minister said on Saturday.

Trade Minister Kim Jong-hoon said the publication of the notice that would start the legal process to resume quarantine inspections was expected for "some time next week."

Once the legal notice is published, U.S. beef that has been in frozen storage in South Korea for months could be inspected and then head to store shelves. (Reporting by Jon Herskovitz; Editing by David Fogarty)

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