Multiple Restaurants Caught Selling Dairy Cow Beef as Hanwoo

Jeonnam Nonggwanwon Conducts Special Crackdown... 7 Businesses and Approximately 26.42 Million Won

A restaurant selling dairy beef falsely labeled the origin on the menu as domestic Korean beef (Hanwoo). Photo by Jeonnam Branch, National Agricultural Products Quality Management Service

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] A number of restaurants were caught selling dairy cow meat disguised as expensive Korean beef (Hanwoo).

According to the Jeonnam branch of the National Agricultural Products Quality Management Service (Director Hwang Gyukwang) on the 10th, a special crackdown conducted from August 9 to November 26 last year uncovered seven restaurants that sold dairy cow meat disguised as domestic Hanwoo beef.

Generally, dairy cows are raised for more than five years (60 months), continuously giving birth and producing milk, so their meat is lean and thin, resulting in the lowest grade of 3 or ungraded at slaughter.

The Jeonnam branch used scientific methods such as genetic analysis to identify restaurants that fraudulently sold this meat as Hanwoo. The amount involved was 1,707 kg, worth approximately 26.42 million KRW.

A representative from the Jeonnam branch stated, “We will continue to do our best to eradicate fraudulent distribution of livestock products, such as cheaper beef cattle or dairy cow meat being sold as expensive Hanwoo beef. When purchasing livestock products, please be sure to check the origin, and if you suspect the origin, report it via the Agricultural Products Quality Management Service’s fraud reporting hotline at 1588-8112 or through their website.”