Contaminated Eggs

[Anchor Lead]

After a scandal erupted in Europe over contaminated chicken eggs, authorities in Korea have discovered that eggs here contain the same harmful pesticide as well. The government has launched an investigation into hen farms nationwide.

[Pkg]

This hen farm in Namyangju, Gyeonggi-do Province is almost completely empty, with just a couple of hens left. But its warehouse is full of eggs. Eggs produced on this farm have been found to contain a banned insecticide called Fipronil. It's the first instance of Fipronil being detected on Korean farms.

[Soundbite] Pung Yong-seop(Official, Namyangju City) : "The farm used the insecticide on Aug. 6 and has sold 190,000 eggs since then."

Another hen farm in Gwangju, Gyeonggi-do Province has been found to contain an insecticide called Bifenthrin in amounts that exceed the permissible limit. The government has halted the distribution and sale of eggs produced by the two farms. It has also suspended egg shipments at all 1,400 egg-producing farms nationwide, and launched an investigation into the use of insecticides. Supermarkets and convenience stores in Korea have suspended the sale of eggs and products made with eggs such as packed lunches. The investigation into egg-producing farms is now in full swing. The 241 farms whose eggs have been found to be safe will receive certificates and be permitted to resume egg distribution.