The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries will conduct special inspections on seafood origin labeling from September 7 to 18, ahead of the Chuseok holiday, to ensure consumers can purchase seafood with confidence.
According to the ministry on September 6, the inspections will involve the National Fisheries Products Quality Management Service, local governments, and the Coast Guard. The quality management service will deploy joint inspection teams composed of its officials and honorary inspectors to conduct on-site checks.
The ministry will activate a cooperative system for joint inspections and investigative support by sharing enforcement information and emergency contact networks among agencies.
Key items for inspection include popular holiday foods such as sea bream, hairtail, yellow corvina, and octopus, as well as squid, small octopus, and scallops, which are likely to have false origin labeling.
This inspection will cover both online and offline distribution channels. It will focus on seafood manufacturing, distribution, and sales companies, as well as restaurants and delivery app services. Inspections will also be conducted at passenger terminals and onboard restaurants, where customer traffic increases during the holiday.
Under the law regarding the labeling of agricultural and fishery products, falsely labeling the origin can result in imprisonment for up to seven years or fines of up to 100 million won. Failure to label the origin can incur fines of up to 10 million won.
Park Seung-jun, director of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries' Aquaculture Policy Division, stated, "We will focus on inspecting holiday foods that see a surge in consumption and items with a high risk of origin violations to ensure consumers' right to know and establish fair trading practices. We hope the public can enjoy a bountiful Chuseok with our seafood without any concerns about food safety."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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