Gyeonggi Province Inspects Traditional Markets and Restaurants for Origin Labeling...8 False or Missing Labels Detected

[Suwon Ilbo=Park Nohoon Reporter] Gyeonggi Province announced on the 8th that it had detected 8 cases of non-compliant origin labeling and taken follow-up measures including administrative fines as a result of an inspection conducted in preparation for the Lunar New Year on "origin labeling guidance and inspection for ritual and gift agricultural, livestock, and seafood products."

From January 20 to February 3, the province conducted origin labeling guidance and inspections at 3,885 locations including traditional markets, wholesale and retail shops, and restaurants across 20 cities and counties including Suwon.

Of these, administrative fines totaling 1.792 million won were imposed on 7 cases of missing origin labels, and 1 case of false labeling was referred to prosecution.

According to violation cases, Restaurant A in Gwangju was detected during inspection while selling Japanese-origin live sea squirt (sea cucumber) falsely marked as domestic origin on the origin label display. The amount sold through this deception reached approximately 30kg.

Sea squirt requires special attention in inspection as the possibility of origin fraud increases because import volumes grow due to sharp declines in domestic aquaculture shipments from September through January of the following year.

Mart B in Gwacheon failed to display the origin of 4kg of live abalone it had brought in to prepare for the Lunar New Year holiday in the aquarium, and Distribution Company C in Hanam was detected without marking the origin for three ritual supplies including pollock and pollack.

Additionally, the province took immediate corrective measures on-site for cases where origin labels were faded or displayed in inappropriate locations.

Lee Hae-won, head of the Agricultural Food Distribution Division of Gyeonggi Province, said, "We will continuously deploy 129 inspectors to establish a proper origin labeling system and take strict measures in accordance with relevant laws and regulations when violations are detected," and added, "If you suspect missing or incorrectly marked origin labels, we ask that you immediately report it to Gyeonggi Province or the relevant city or county."