Editor's Pick: "There Wasn't Even a Sign" — Suspicious Shop Linked to 4 Billion Won in Missing Hanwoo Beef

A livestock farming association in the province began noticing irregularities in its sales starting last year.

An internal investigation revealed that a manager, identified as A, who was in charge of the association's distribution operations, had been embezzling Hanwoo (Korean beef) for several years.

[Association Official: Because two distribution employees were responsible for everything regarding incoming and outgoing cattle and transactions, it was difficult for other staff members to know what was happening.]

From 2021 until recently, it is estimated that A embezzled approximately 4 billion won worth of beef across 1,000 separate incidents. This was done by diverting beef intended for restaurants managed by the association to other locations or by falsifying documents to make it appear as though the stock was still in inventory.

The embezzled beef was then supplied to other butcher shops and businesses at prices lower than the market rate.

The businesses that received the beef claim they were unaware it was stolen and that they are victims as well.

[Butcher Shop Official: He told us he was selling it cheaply because it was excess inventory, citing his position. It wasn't like he was unloading the meat from a private car; a delivery driver was dropping it off directly (in an association vehicle), so who would pay much attention to that?]

A is also suspected of establishing multiple butcher shops under borrowed names to distribute and sell the stolen Hanwoo directly.

[Building Manager where a butcher shop was located: There was no sign. There was nothing, just refrigerators. We didn't even know what kind of business they were running.]

After his crimes were discovered and he was forced to leave the association, A even took advantage of times when no other employees were present to steal additional meat from the warehouse.

A has been referred to the prosecution under arrest and has been indicted. The police have also uncovered evidence that a senior official at the association, identified as B, used the same methods to embezzle Hanwoo and are expanding their investigation.

Meanwhile, it is reported that A stated during police questioning that he squandered the proceeds from his crimes on gambling and investments.

4 Billion Won Worth of Hanwoo "Evaporates"... The Identity of the Butcher Shop Without a Sign (June 29, 2026)

Reported by G1 Kim Do-woon | Written by Kim Da-yeon | Video by Seo Jin-hyung (G1 Broadcasting) | Produced by SBS Digital News
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.