The harmful insecticide Fipronil has been found in more domestic eggs at a chicken farm in Cheorwon, Gangwon Province.

Another pesticide, Bifenthrin, has also been found in higher than acceptable levels at a farm in Yangju, Gyeonggi Province.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs on Wednesday morning announced findings of its first phase of inspections on 243 farms raising egg laying hens which are responsible for about a quarter of eggs circulated in the country. 

Two-hundred-41 farms passed the inspection while the two farms in Cheorwon and Yangju failed.

The ministry said that at the Cheorwon farm which raises 55-thousand hens, zero-point-056 milligrams of Fipronil was detected per kilogram of eggs, surpassing the international Codex food standard of point-02 milligrams.

At the Yangju farm raising 23-thousand hens, zero-point-07 milligrams of the pesticide Bifenthrin was found per kilo of eggs, higher than the acceptable level of point-01 milligrams.

The agriculture ministry has notified the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and local authorities about the unfit farms and halted the sale and distribution of eggs produced from the two locations.

The government will also issue certificates for the other 241 farms that passed the inspection to assure they can distribute normally.

A total inspection of all farms is expected to be wrapped up by Thursday.