Governor Lee Jae-myung Orders Crackdown on Mask Price Gouging
Suwon NewsPublished 2020.01.31 05:55
On-site Inspections of Mask Sales and Manufacturing Facilities Planned Following City and County Leaders' Meeting on the 30thGovernor Lee Also Proposes Designating Masks as Prohibited Hoarding Items in National Comprehensive Review Meeting
[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Park No-hun] Governor Lee Jae-myung of Gyeonggi Province has ordered strong on-site crackdowns against price gouging of masks and other hygiene products amid the spread of COVID-19.
The governor made the directive after attending a comprehensive review meeting on COVID-19 response chaired by President Moon Jae-in, held at the Government Seoul Office on the morning of the 30th, and then immediately convening a meeting with city and county leaders.
The measure comes as mask prices have surged more than tenfold on online shopping malls and orders are being cancelled, while masks are also going out of stock at pharmacies and convenience stores, resulting in a spike in orders and sales volumes.
Governor Lee said, "The supply issue with items like masks appears to be becoming serious, so I made a proposal," and added, "At the provincial level, we will immediately begin a basic survey of mask production and distribution companies in accordance with relevant laws and will request cooperation from cities and counties."
He also emphasized, "We will form an inspection team and conduct immediate strong on-site inspections against hoarding practices to prevent unfair practices from taking hold."
Accordingly, Gyeonggi Province plans to conduct on-site guidance inspections of mask sales and manufacturing facilities in the province by utilizing the Gyeonggi Special Judicial Police Unit.
Regarding unjustified mask price increases on online shopping malls, the province will issue correction requests to sellers. To prevent consumer damage from order cancellations and hoarding, the province will operate a reporting center (031-251-9898).
The Ministry of Economy and Finance has been requested to designate masks as prohibited hoarding items. Under the Price Stability Act, if hoarding is detected, violators face imprisonment of up to two years or fines of up to 50 million won.
Additionally, Governor Lee proposed to the government that the scope of information disclosure regarding confirmed patients be expanded.
With two confirmed COVID-19 cases occurring in the province, there are concerns that inaccurate information on patients' locations, movement routes, and the number of contacts could cause anxiety among provincial residents and even lead to distrust of public institutions.
Governor Lee said, "Detailed information disclosure is very necessary to alleviate public anxiety, but we are still not disclosing specific locations, causing considerable confusion on the front lines," and added, "At the provincial level, if additional information becomes available, we will ensure that locations are disclosed specifically."
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