Gyeonggi Province Cracks Down on False Country-of-Origin Labeling for Chuseok Holiday Products

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[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Park No-hun] Gyeonggi Province will conduct guidance and inspection of country-of-origin labeling for high-consumption ritual offering and gift agricultural, forestry, and seafood products for 12 days from the 6th to the 17th in preparation for the Chuseok holiday.

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During this period, joint inspections will also be conducted together with five cities including Guri, Anyang, Osan, Uiwang, and Gwacheon.

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The main inspection items are products distributed in traditional markets, large and small retail outlets, and ready-made food sales establishments, including ▲Ritual offerings: beef and pork, codonopsis, bracken, dried persimmon, sea bream ▲Gifts: galbi sets, traditional Korean sweets, ginseng, dried filefish (gulbi), health supplements (red ginseng, herbal medicine ingredients, etc.) ▲Rice cakes, seasoned vegetables, and other ready-made dishes.

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In particular, in this guidance and inspection, the province plans to randomly collect high-consumption Chuseok peak season items such as bracken, chestnuts, and dried persimmon—for which origin verification is possible under applicable laws—and request origin verification from the National Institute of Agricultural Products Quality Management.

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Should verification results determine foreign or mixed origin, the province plans to refer cases to the Gyeonggi Province Special Judicial Police for investigation into country-of-origin labeling violations, including confirmation of distribution channels.

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Additionally, 129 'Gyeonggi Province Agricultural and Fishery Product Country-of-Origin Labeling Monitors' will verify compliance with country-of-origin labeling requirements through on-site guidance and promotion, as well as non-face-to-face inspections via online marketplaces and delivery apps, in accordance with social distancing measures in response to COVID-19 spread.

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According to the 'Agricultural and Fishery Product Country-of-Origin Labeling Act,' anyone who deceives or falsifies the actual country of origin of agricultural, forestry, and seafood products and related items, or displays them with confusion or disguise, upon detection faces imprisonment of no more than 7 years or a fine of no more than 10 million won.

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An Dong-gwang, head of the Gyeonggi Province Department of Agriculture and Marine Affairs, stated, "To establish fair trade order and fulfill consumers' right to know, we will continue to promote cooperation with organizations related to agricultural and fishery product country-of-origin labeling. We will impose severe penalties on illegal activities such as false country-of-origin labeling that mislead consumers."

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Meanwhile, the Gyeonggi Agriculture website (farm.gg.go.kr), the National Institute of Agricultural Products Quality Management (www.naqs.go.kr), and the National Institute of Fishery Products Quality Management (www.nfqs.go.kr) provide guidance on how to distinguish the country of origin of agricultural and fishery products.
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