Foreign Ministry Rebuts Han Dong-hoon's Claim That Lee Jae-myung's Egg Imports to Brazil Were a 'Gift'

After independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon claimed that President Lee Jae-myung may have decided to import economically unviable Brazilian eggs as a 'gift' to Brazilian President Lula, the Foreign Ministry rebutted on the 16th that no such decision was made at the summit and that the claim is not factual. The ministry said the import of Brazilian eggs was a matter that had been separately discussed and pursued by the agricultural authorities of both countries in advance, for the sake of domestic supply stability and diversification of import sources.

The Foreign Ministry clarified that Ambassador Choi's remark about 'room for interpretation' was merely an explanation taking into account various circumstances, such as the progress of existing import procedures and Brazil's promotion of the summit as an achievement, and was not intended to acknowledge a connection to the summit. The ministry emphasized that Ambassador Choi clearly answered at the parliamentary audit that 'eggs were never mentioned during the consultations on the summit agenda,' and that citing only part of his answer to argue it contradicted the Agriculture Minister's explanation does not accord with the facts. Ambassador Choi was reported to have answered at the audit that the egg imports were "not appropriate to describe as a gift, and should be understood as the result of mutual needs between the two countries."

Lawmaker Han cited as evidence that Carlos Favaro, Brazil's Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, said through the media in February that, in connection with the Korea-Brazil summit, the opening of the egg market had been discussed and confirmed with the South Korean president. He said, "Either the Brazilian agriculture minister or the Korean agriculture minister is lying," adding, "President Lee has met President Lula five times since taking office." In response, the Foreign Ministry said the Brazilian agriculture minister's remarks were also merely promoting the progress of agricultural consultations on the occasion of President Lula's February visit to Korea as a diplomatic achievement, and cannot be seen as meaning that egg imports were decided at the summit.

According to the opposition, the total cost of importing Brazilian eggs was about 1.6 billion won, with ancillary costs such as air transport fees and customs duties reaching about 1.4 billion won, on top of about 200 million won in local purchase costs. Lawmaker Han claimed that each egg was imported at 1,464 won and sold domestically at 143 won, with the difference covered by taxpayers' money.