CRUELTY IN SOUTH KOREA'S CHICKEN FARMS EXPOSED
July 15, 2024 - LCA and ALW release the first-ever major investigation into South Korean chicken farms. The undercover footage, from March to June 2024, is from three farms that supply chickens to large processing plants that make Samgyetang chicken soup products. The investigation exposes sick and injured chickens suffering in filthy and cruel conditions. TAKE ACTION HERE.
Watch and share the investigation video
Samgyetang soup is the chicken equivalent of Boshintang - dog meat soup. Both are traditional dishes consumed during South Korea’s hot summer days. Eating hot food to cool down the body and replenish energy is known as the 'Boknal' culture. Among high-calorie foods, it was believed that eating meat dishes such as dog meat and chicken would help restore vitality by replenishing the body's nutrients.
In 2024, South Korea banned dog meat in a historic move, and with it, dog meat soup. Unfortunately, the exploitation of chickens for Samgyetang continues, with a staggering 30 million chickens killed during Boknal alone.
INVESTIGATION DETAILS
The three farms investigated are in the Jeolla and Chungcheong Provinces of South Korea. With over 20,000 chickens on each farm, there is a blatant disregard for the animals. The chickens are raised in intensive and unsanitary conditions and often left untreated for diseases, fractures, and injuries.
Undercover footage shows potential sanitation and animal welfare violations.
The footage also documents:
- Chickens crowded together on dirty floors covered in feces
- Feed boxes contaminated with feces
- Ammonia levels exceeding 99 ppm. Appropriate levels should be 25 ppm or below (Source: So. Korea Animal Protection Act Enforcement Rule No. 5, Table 1). High ammonia levels can cause respiratory diseases, eye problems, and weakened immune systems (Source: ScienceDirect.com)
- Lesser mealworm infestation. Lesser mealworms can cause skin injuries and potentially transmit bacteria like Salmonella and E. Coli (Source: Penn State Extension)
- Chickens living under artificial lighting 24/7 can cause stress (Source: USDA)
- Chickens unable to stand and move around
- Chickens suffering from feather loss, bumblefoot (footpad infection), eye infections, and injuries
- Chickens fighting and exhibiting cannibalistic behavior
- Chickens being kicked during herding and loading
- Transit workers grabbing multiple chickens in both hands and throwing them into transport crates
- Transit workers twisting the necks of chickens to kill them
- Sick and weak chickens not transported to the slaughterhouse were left inside the barn with no access to food and water
- Dead chickens rotting inside the barn
- Dead chickens thrown into bushes outside of the farm
 Crowded chickens |
 Crowded chickens |
 High ammonia levels |
 Lesser mealworms |
 Lesser mealworms |
 Bumblefoot |
 Feather loss |
 Feather loss |
 Injured chicken |
 Injured chicken |
 Eye infection |
 Group hair loss |
 Dead chicken |
 Dead chicken |
 Feces covered floor |
 Dead chickens in bush |
 Dead chicken in bush |
 Crow eating dead chicken |
 Transport truck |
 Transport truck |
SAMGYETANG CHICKEN INDUSTRY SIZE AND GROWTH RATE
The Samgyetang chickens are called Bek Semi meaning half birds. They were created by the chicken industry to meet the demand for Samgyetang and are only farmed in South Korea. They are bred by injecting male broiler sperm into an egg-laying hen. Bek Semi birds are bred and raised specifically for Samgyetang chicken soup.
The Bek Semi chickens have a rapid growth rate and are typically raised for about 28 to 35 days, and have a slaughter weight of approximately 800 - 850 grams (approx 1.14 lbs - 1.87 lbs). This is the industry size for Samgyetang products.
U.S. IMPORTS SAMGYETANG CHICKEN PRODUCTS
The United States is the biggest importer of packaged, ready-to-eat Samgyetang. Nearly two million pounds of Samgyetang products are imported and sold in Asian supermarkets and restaurants across the U.S.
Weee! is America’s largest online Asian supermarket. Weee! offers South Korean Samgyetang pre-packaged products available for home delivery.
LCA contacted the CEO and Founder of Weee! urging them to stop selling and delivering Samgyetang chicken products.
LCA/ALW’S PROTEST IN SOUTH KOREA
In Seoul, on the day of the investigation release and coinciding with the first day of Boknal, LCA/ALW held a mass demonstration to draw public awareness and media attention to the suffering of chickens farmed for Samgyetang. Protest participants urged South Koreans to adopt a plant-based diet during Boknal and to change the culture of Boknal.
LCA/ALW'S INVESTIGATION IN THE NEWS
HANKYOREH - South Korea's media outlet with over four million online subscribers. The story was the 2nd most viewed one amongst every online article that every media outlet published on July 15, 2024.
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