Online retailers and sales intermediaries must inform platform vendors about the mandatory origin labeling system for agricultural and fishery products starting on the 22nd. Failure to comply may result in fines of up to 4 million won, depending on the number of violations.
On the 21st, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs announced that amendments to the enforcement decree and regulations regarding the origin labeling of agricultural and fishery products will take effect on the 22nd. This revision establishes specific notification requirements and methods, as well as criteria for imposing fines, following a legal amendment that mandates sales intermediaries to inform vendors about the origin labeling system.
Sales intermediaries are required to inform platform vendors about the scope of agricultural and fishery products and processed goods subject to origin labeling, as well as the methods for displaying this information. They must also communicate prohibited actions, such as false labeling, and the penalties for violations.
There are three methods for providing this information: posting relevant details on the main page or notice board of the online mall for continuous access, guiding vendors to confirm this information, or providing a separate notification screen. Individual notifications can also be sent via electronic documents, such as emails or text messages.
Failure to meet these notification obligations will result in fines based on the number of violations: 1 million won for the first violation, 2 million won for the second, and 4 million won for the third and subsequent violations.
The Ministry believes this measure will help ensure that vendors are aware of their obligations regarding origin labeling and the penalties for violations, thereby preventing related infractions and protecting consumers' right to know.
Seo Jun-han, Director of Distribution and Consumer Policy at the Ministry, stated, “With this revision, vendors will be better informed about their obligations and the penalties for violations during online transactions, which will help prevent infractions and enhance consumer rights. We will actively guide and promote this system to sales intermediaries to ensure its successful implementation.”
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.