hankyoreh

Frustrated by a fall in prices of hanwoo, or South Korea’s local breed of cattle, and a surge in feed costs, a 41-year-old farmer in Hampyeong, South Jeollla Province, committed suicide by drinking herbicide. It was the second suicide committed by a livestock farmer following the South Korean government’s decision to fully reopen its market to U.S. beef last month.

The 41-year-old farmer, who is only identified by his surname Lee and lives in the town of Wolbong-ri, Nasan-myeon, Hampyeong County, was found dead in his home after drinking herbicide at approximately 4:40 a.m. on May 5. Immediately before his suicide, Lee allegedly attempted to kill his 36-year-old wife, who is from the Philippines, and his three children by beating them with a farm-machine implement. The four members of his family were sleeping at the time.

According to local police, Lee’s wife and an 8-year-old daughter suffered minor head injuries. Lee’s 7-year-old son and 3-year-old daughter were hospitalized at Hampyeong Seongshim Hospital after being seriously wounded.

Local residents said that, Lee, who started raising cattle some 10 years ago, had been aggrieved over the loss of all 18 of his cattle since August last year, when the spread of brucellosis forced him to slaughter 14 of the 18 and sell the remaining four.

Lee Gwan-haeng, 63, the mayor of Wolbong-ri, said, “Lee was gentle by nature and a sincere man. He might have done this terrible thing after being discouraged by the news of a full reopening of U.S. beef imports.”

Na Gang-seok, 41, one of the Lee family’s neighbors, said, with tears in his eyes, “(Lee) considered cattle-breeding as his lifetime job. He might have tried to end his life with his family because he was depressed about having a tough life and difficult farm work.”

The Hampyeong branch of the Hanwoo Association said, “After South Korea agreed to fully resume imports of U.S. beef, the prices of Hanwoo fell by 300,000 won (US$298) in a week to 400,000 won per animal. What’s worse, feed costs rose by 30 percent to 40 percent. They are putting an end to lives of more and more hanwoo farmers by the minute.”

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