Office worker Kim Won-jin (56) lingered in front of the egg display at the E-Mart in Mapo-gu, Seoul, on the 13th. The shelf in front of a price tag reading '30 white eggs 8,480 won' was empty. Only the most expensive animal-welfare fertilized eggs priced at 12,980 won were left. Kim, who had been boiling and eating two eggs every day until prices rose, said, "Even with a discount coupon, the price feels burdensome."

As egg prices have turned upward again, the government decided to bring in an additional total of 4.48 million eggs from the U.S. and Thailand. However, with the fallout from winter highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) and higher egg production costs due to the Middle East war, the view is that prices will keep rising for the time being.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said on the 14th that it will bring in 2.24 million from the U.S. by the 19th and 1.12 million from Thailand by the 27th, and in June import a further 1.12 million from whichever of the two offers a lower price.

Although the government has been sequentially importing 5.64 million fresh eggs since January, prices are rising again.

According to data from the Korea Institute for Animal Products Quality Evaluation, the consumer price for a tray (30 eggs) of extra-large eggs was 7,316 won as of the previous day, 4.1% higher than last year's average (7,026 won). It had fallen to 6,910 won by the third week of April and seemed to be stabilizing, but it has continued to climb this month.

The major cause cited for the rise in egg prices is the impact of HPAI. During the 2025~2026 winter, 11.34 million laying hens (egg-laying chickens) were culled, the largest number after 2020~2021 (16.96 million). As it takes about six months for chicks to grow into laying hens, it will take time for supply to recover.

In its March "Livestock Outlook" report, the Korea Rural Economic Institute forecast that egg production in May~June would decrease by about 3% from a year earlier.

Rising production costs are also adding to the burden. Heightened tensions in the Middle East have pushed up fuel and feed prices, increasing costs for livestock. The price of indoor kerosene used to heat poultry houses (duty-free fuel) was 1,401.98 won per L in the first week of May, about 25% higher than last year's average. The price of compound feed for poultry also rose to 565 won per ㎏, up 4.4% from November last year (541 won).

According to the announcement by the Korea Fair Trade Commission that day, suspicions of collusion by the Laying Hen Association also appear to have contributed in part to the rise in egg prices. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said it would review measures to sanction the association that day.