Two Food Companies Caught Selling Australian Beef as Hanwoo

A Jeonnam Agricultural Quality Management Service official is collecting samples from a business violating origin labeling regulations. Photo by Jeonnam Regional Office of the National Agricultural Products Quality Management Service

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] A company that falsely labeled the origin of domestic Korean beef, taking advantage of the difficulty in visually distinguishing it, has been caught.

A company that disguised Australian beef as domestic Korean beef and sold it has been caught.

The Jeonnam branch of the National Agricultural Products Quality Management Service (Branch Chief Hwang Gyukwang) announced on the 1st that it has caught two meat-selling businesses in Gwangju Metropolitan City for falsely labeling the origin and illegally distributing the products, and is currently investigating.

Mr. A (39) purchased 3,500 kg of Australian beef neck meat from February last year until last month, made marinated meat, and supplied it to marts while labeling it as domestic Korean beef. He also promoted it on the internet as if it were Korean beef bulgogi, and labeled the raw materials and content as beef (domestic Korean beef), thereby indicating the origin of the beef as domestic Korean beef, and sold it worth approximately 54.42 million KRW.

Mr. B (38) made marinated meat and bulgogi cuts from Australian beef sirloin from October last year until last month, sold them in his store while labeling them as domestic Korean beef, and sold about 72 kg worth 1.25 million KRW.

They exploited the fact that consumers cannot easily distinguish by sight and the preference for domestic Korean beef to illegally distribute cheaper foreign beef disguised as domestic Korean beef.

The Agricultural Products Quality Management Service plans to file criminal charges against the business owners and conduct additional investigations regarding the violated quantities and unfair profits.

This crackdown was carried out by collecting samples of beef sold as domestic Korean beef several times since early January and actively using advanced scientific analysis methods such as genetic analysis of beef origin to detect the violations.

Meanwhile, since the 12th of last month, the Jeonnam Agricultural Products Quality Management Service has conducted origin labeling inspections, caught 25 businesses including Korean confectionery companies that falsely labeled origins and filed criminal charges, and imposed fines on 6 businesses that did not label the origin. They plan to continue crackdowns on illegal distribution activities related to origin labeling of agricultural products for ancestral rites and gifts during the Lunar New Year season until the 10th.

Kim Junho, Head of Distribution Management Division at Jeonnam Agricultural Products Quality Management Service, said, “Consumers should always check the origin when purchasing agricultural and livestock products for the Lunar New Year holiday,” and added, “If the labeled origin is suspicious, please report it immediately.”