Lee Kyung-sil Upholds Code 4 Egg Pricing, Emphasizes Quality

Lee Kyung-sil, a well-known broadcaster, has publicly responded to the recent debate surrounding the pricing of her egg products. On the 19th, she shared her thoughts on Instagram about the controversy involving "Egg Code No. 4" eggs. According to her post, while it is true that 30 eggs of Code No. 4 typically cost 15,000 Korean won, which may seem expensive, Uaran eggs are of significantly higher quality than those available in the market. She emphasized that her team has conducted extensive research and consistently worked to ensure that the value of these eggs justifies their price.

In addition, Lee expressed her apologies for not fully considering consumer perceptions. She acknowledged that consumers likely have clear criteria when choosing food products, but in their pride of producing high-quality eggs, they overlooked the sentiments of their customers. She sincerely apologized for this oversight.

Lee also provided an explanation regarding egg code numbers. She clarified that the numbers 1, 2, 3, and 4 on eggs indicate the rearing environment and are unrelated to quality grades. The reason Uaran maintains a high price is not due to the rearing environment but rather differences in raw materials and breeding methods. She highlighted that significant investments are made in premium raw materials, hygiene management at farms, disease control, and maintaining freshness and quality. Quality cannot be judged solely by the egg code number 4.

Regarding the emphasis on quality, she explained that maintaining a consistent quality standard is extremely challenging. While the rearing environment is important, quality is equally crucial. This issue arose not because one side is right or wrong, but because people have different criteria for evaluating rearing environments and eggs.

She also noted that this controversy revealed that consumers largely distinguish between good and bad eggs based on code numbers. She hopes this debate clarifies that even eggs from Code No. 4 environments can vary significantly in quality. Finally, she added that she will uphold the same commitment to quality as when she first started, not just for her family but for relatives and acquaintances who consume these eggs.

The controversy began after Uaran, labeled as Code No. 4 (conventional cage), was sold for 15,000 Korean won per 30 eggs—more expensive than Code No. 1 (free-range) eggs, which start at 12,000 Korean won for the same quantity.

As the controversy grew, the selling company issued a statement: "While we recognize the importance of rearing environments, not all farms can adopt Code No. 1 conditions. Supplying high-quality raw materials to chickens in Code No. 4 environments to produce premium eggs is one way to advance the industry."

Meanwhile, the website of "PreciTige," the company selling Uaran, displayed only a notice reading "This site is under preparation" on the day of the report. The official mall listed on Naver Shopping was also unavailable as of the same date.