Imported eggs to arrive from U.S. next week amid short supplies

SEOUL, Jan. 10 (Yonhap) -- A large number of imported eggs will arrive here from the United States via cargo flight next week to help address a shortage of supply, South Korea's top flag carrier Korean Air Lines Co. said Tuesday.

Korean Air said that one of its B777 cargo planes carrying 1.6 million eggs, which weigh 100 tons in total, will depart from Los Angeles on Sunday and arrive at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, at 12:30 p.m. Jan. 16.

South Korea has been suffering from a shortage of eggs, as it has been struggling to contain an avian influenza (AI) outbreak that has ravaged poultry farms across the country since mid-November. Authorities have culled more than 30 million poultry to prevent further AI spread.

The Seoul government recently announced that a local retailer signed a contract with a U.S. company for the egg imports. Several other retailers have reportedly sought to import eggs from the U.S.

sshluck@yna.co.kr
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