SUWON — A head of hanwoo cattle raised by Park Se-min in Yangpyeong County won the grand prize at the 8th Gyeonggi Hanwoo Premium Beef Competition, which selects the highest-quality Korean beef in Gyeonggi Province.
Gyeonggi Province said on the 15th that Park's cattle was named this year's top premium hanwoo in the province at the competition held at the Dodram Anseong Livestock Market.
The event was organized by the Gyeonggi branch of the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation's economic holding arm. It was sponsored by Gyeonggi Province, the Gyeongin District Livestock Cooperative Operating Council and the Gyeonggi chapter of the Korea Hanwoo Association.
A total of 48 farms from 16 cities and counties in the province took part, recommended by local livestock cooperatives and brand companies. They entered 56 head of cattle in all.
Judging was conducted by panelists from the Korea Institute for Animal Products Quality Evaluation and the Korea Animal Improvement Association. Scores were based 95% on carcass grade evaluation and 5% on farm environment assessment.
The judges reviewed not only carcass grades, which reflect meat quality, but also the rearing conditions at each farm. The aim was to assess the production base and quality competitiveness of Gyeonggi hanwoo in a comprehensive manner.
Park Se-min of the Yangpyeong Livestock Cooperative took the grand prize. The excellence award went to Lim Kwan-bin of the Icheon Livestock Cooperative, and five farms received encouragement awards.
The Suwon-Hwaseong-Osan Livestock Cooperative was named best brand. In the special "Praise of Youth" category, Park Kwang-soon of the same cooperative was selected.
The grand prize-winning animal weighed 857 kilograms at slaughter, with a carcass weight of 534 kilograms and a grade of 1++A. It sold at auction for 67,000 won per kilogram.
That is about 2.5 times the ordinary auction price of 26,900 won per kilogram. Gyeonggi Province said the result demonstrated the quality and market value of hanwoo raised in the province.
The competition also expanded consumer participation. Visitors were able to tour the judging site and see the quality of premium beef for themselves, and to observe the auction as it took place.
The province said the event was significant in moving beyond a producer-centered format to share the strengths of Gyeonggi hanwoo with consumers.
Gyeonggi Province said it would use the competition to build pride among farms producing premium beef. It also plans to promote the quality of Gyeonggi hanwoo to consumers and to encourage a consumption culture that links production, evaluation and purchasing.
The awards ceremony will be held on the 25th in conjunction with the Livestock Promotion Convention at Imjingak in Paju. The program will include awards for winners and contributors, followed by consumer events such as a grill master demonstration.
"This competition was an occasion to objectively evaluate the quality of Gyeonggi hanwoo beef and to confirm it together with consumers," said Lee Eun-kyung, director of the animal disease control and hygiene division at Gyeonggi Province. "We will strengthen the production base so that quality livestock products are chosen by consumers, and we will also work to raise the brand value of Gyeonggi hanwoo."