Debate over the import of Brazilian eggs has persisted for nearly two weeks. Opposition parties have criticized the government for bringing in Brazilian eggs at high prices and supplying them domestically at lower rates, labeling it a "diplomatic gift" and a "waste of taxpayer money."
The controversy began on October 7 during a National Assembly audit by the Agriculture, Food, Rural Affairs, and Fisheries Committee, where Kim Yong-tae, a member of the ruling People Power Party, raised concerns. He stated, "The government is wasting taxpayer money by importing Brazilian eggs at over 1,300 won each and distributing them domestically for around 100 won."
Three days later, on October 10, People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyuk alleged favoritism during a summit with Brazilian President Lula, stating, "Not only are they catering to the domestic left, but they are also accommodating the international left." This escalated into a political dispute. On October 18, party spokesperson Ham In-kyung issued a statement questioning the appropriateness of the import costs and funding methods.
In contrast, President Lee Jae-myung rebutted on October 15 via X (formerly Twitter), calling the claims "clear falsehoods for political purposes," while the government and ruling party defended the imports as a standard measure to diversify supply lines in response to avian influenza outbreaks.
We fact-checked four key issues surrounding the so-called "Brazilian egg controversy."
Claims circulating in political circles and on social media assert that the government wasted 80 billion won ($80 million) on importing eggs from Brazil.
In response, President Lee Jae-myung stated on X that the actual cost for Brazilian egg imports was approximately 1.6 billion won ($1.6 million). According to data from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation (aT), of the total 133.24 million fresh eggs imported by the end of September this year, only 1.12 million came from Brazil, accounting for just 0.8% of total imports.
So where did the figure of 80 billion won come from?
The accurate amount is 81.9 billion won. The Ministry of Agriculture reported that the government imported 133.24 million fresh eggs from four countries: the United States, Thailand, Brazil, and Denmark, with total costs for imports and domestic distribution amounting to approximately 81.9 billion won. The increase in imports was a response to a reduction in supply due to the culling of 11.34 million laying hens last winter due to highly pathogenic avian influenza (AI). Of this, the amount spent on Brazilian eggs was about 1.6 billion won.
Thus, the claim that "the government spent 80 billion won in taxpayer money to buy Brazilian eggs" is entirely false.
Some online and political commentators have argued that the government purchased eggs from Brazil at prices significantly higher than local market rates, suggesting that this has provided Brazil with substantial profits and favors. It is indeed true that the import price of Brazilian eggs (1,464 won each) is about three times higher than that of U.S. (456 won) or Thai eggs (498 won).
However, the amount paid to Brazil is only a fraction of the total cost. Detailed data from the Ministry of Agriculture shows that the actual purchase price per egg in Brazil was 178 won. The remaining costs included air freight (959 won), tariffs (307 won), and other fees (20 won). Of the total import cost of 1.6 billion won, the amount paid to Brazil for the eggs was around 200 million won, while the remaining 1.4 billion won went to national airlines (cargo flights) and domestic tariffs.
Ultimately, while it is true that the overall import costs were significantly higher than those from other countries, and that a new export channel has opened, benefiting Brazil to some extent, the primary reason for the high unit price was not the local purchase price but the substantial logistics costs incurred from transporting the eggs across the globe to maintain freshness. Therefore, the assertion that the government provided Brazil with excessive profits or diplomatic favors is mostly not true.
On October 18, People Power Party spokesperson Ham In-kyung raised concerns in a statement, questioning, "The import cost is 1,464 won per egg, yet it is supplied domestically for about 143 won. Who is covering this difference? Is it being funded by taxpayer money?"
To conclude, Ham's assertion is indeed true. The losses incurred from the difference between the cost of emergency imports and the selling price are fully covered by public funds from the 'Livestock Development Fund.' According to data submitted by the Ministry of Agriculture to the National Assembly, the total public funds allocated for the fresh egg import project this year amounted to 121.19 billion won, all sourced from this fund. Since the Livestock Development Fund is financed by government contributions, the losses from the price difference are effectively covered by taxpayer money.
However, this measure is not unique to the current administration. President Lee Jae-myung explained, "When domestic prices soar due to supply shortages, it is common for authorities to import more expensive foreign products and supply them at lower prices to manage consumer prices."
The practice of supplying at prices lower than import costs and covering the difference with public funds has been used by previous administrations as a stability measure. The Yoon Suk-yeol administration also imported 1.21 million fresh eggs from Spain in December 2022 in response to avian influenza and made emergency imports of U.S. eggs in January 2024. In those instances, the selling prices were also set below the import costs, with the resulting differences covered by public funds.
Thus, the mere fact that the difference is covered by public funds does not necessarily indicate a problem with the import decision. However, it is worth noting that the logistics costs for Brazilian eggs, at 959 won per egg, accounted for 65.5% of the import price, raising questions about the appropriateness of choosing a long-distance country as an emergency supply source from a fiscal efficiency perspective.
While it has been clarified that Brazil did not receive excessive profits, questions remain. "Why were Brazilian eggs chosen among so many countries?"
In this context, on October 16, People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyuk raised safety concerns regarding Brazilian eggs on Facebook. He stated, "The EU has completely banned the import of Brazilian eggs due to concerns over the use of growth promoters and insufficient safety verification, claiming that taxpayer money has been used to put dangerous eggs on the tables of citizens."
It is true that the European Commission suspended imports of Brazilian beef, poultry, eggs, and honey starting September 3.
However, Jang's explanation lacks specific background and context. The EU's import suspension was not due to the detection of harmful chemicals or growth promoters in Brazilian eggs. Instead, it stemmed from Brazil's inability to sufficiently demonstrate compliance with EU standards regarding the non-use of growth-promoting antibiotics during livestock production.
Moreover, the 1.12 million Brazilian eggs imported into South Korea underwent rigorous safety inspections by the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, passing tests for pesticides, residues, and veterinary drugs. Therefore, it is difficult to conclude that the international trade restrictions due to administrative document deficiencies indicate inherent safety flaws in the eggs themselves, making this claim half true.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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