OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) - Gov. Chris Gregoire says that South Korea has lifted a ban against Pacific Northwest-grown potatoes used for things like potato chips, but that a ban on other fresh potatoes still remains because of a fear over a bacterium known as zebra chip.

Gregoire, talking to reporters by phone from her trade mission in South Korea on Wednesday, says that the ban imposed on potatoes grown in Washington state, Oregon and Idaho was lifted this week.

Matt Harris with the Washington Potato Commission says that as part of the agreement, Washington state will apply a sprout inhibitor, and will also cut into a set amount of tubers to look for signs of the pest. The ban was put in place by South Korea in August.

Gregoire is leaving South Korea Wednesday after a 10-day trade mission that included stops in India. She will be back in Washington state on Thursday.