[Edaily Reporter KIM HYUNG-HWAN ] Jang Dong-hyuk, leader of the People Power Party, pointed out that Brazilian eggs are expensive in light of the start of egg imports from Brazil, and criticized the egg imports as part of a “left-wing connection.”

On the 10th, Chairman Jang stated on his social media, “The process for importing Brazilian eggs began following the summit between President Lee Jae-myung and Brazilian President Lula last February,” adding, “The problem is the price. While U.S. eggs cost 464 won each and Thai eggs cost 305 won, Brazilian eggs cost as much as 1,300 won.”

According to data obtained by the office of People Power Party lawmaker Kim Yong-tae from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, as of last month, the government had imported 125.78 million eggs from the U.S., 5.62 million from Thailand, 1.12 million from Brazil, and 720,000 from Denmark. While Brazilian eggs were imported at 39,000 won per tray of 30 eggs, U.S. eggs were imported at 13,920 won and Thai eggs at 9,150 won, sparking a “high-price controversy.”

Regarding this, CEO Jang criticized, “While the government explains this as ‘diversifying supply sources,’ we have simply expanded imports from the U.S., Thailand, and Denmark to include Brazil,” adding, “Diversifying supply sources is primarily intended to lower prices.”

He elaborated, “It makes no sense to call this ‘diversification of supply sources’ when we’re paying prices three to four times higher than previous import prices,” noting, “I’ve heard that the local consumer price in Brazil is just over 200 won per egg, yet our import price is more than six times that.”

Chairman Jang remarked, “President Lula is one of the leading left-wing presidents in South America. Is this because it wasn’t enough to look out for the ‘left’ at home, so he had to look out for the international ‘left’ as well?” He continued, “Eggs purchased for 1,300 won were sold to distributors for 100 won, and the difference was covered by taxes.”

He continued, “In the end, didn’t we use our taxpayers’ money to line the pockets of someone in Brazil?” adding, “The public is ‘puzzled’ by these ‘left-leaning’ egg imports.”

Criticism from the People Power Party regarding this issue continues. Kim Min-soo, a member of the People Power Party’s Supreme Council, strongly criticized the matter during a Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 8th, saying, “It is questionable why eggs were imported from Brazil at such high prices when there were other countries where they could have been purchased much more cheaply,” and added, “We must verify whether some unimaginable international commission was at work.”