Highway Rest Areas Strengthen Management of Agricultural Product Origin Labeling

Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation and Korea Expressway Corporation Conduct Origin Labeling Inspections and Provide Customized Education and Promotion at Rest Areas

The National Agricultural Products Quality Management Service (NAQS) has decided to strengthen the management of origin labeling for agricultural products manufactured and sold at highway rest areas in cooperation with Korea Expressway Corporation.

On the 27th, NAQS announced that it will establish a continuous origin management system together with Korea Expressway Corporation to build trustworthy and safe food rest areas for the public.

An official from NAQS stated, "With the recovery of daily life after COVID-19, the number of users and sales at highway rest areas have increased, leading to heightened demands for comprehensive management of origin and safety of agricultural products sold at restaurants and other outlets. Although we conduct annual promotion, education, and inspections for rest area restaurants, the continuous origin management system remains insufficient, resulting in some cases of origin labeling violations at certain rest areas."

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To address these issues and establish the origin labeling system at highway rest areas and improve management efficiency, NAQS has agreed with Korea Expressway Corporation since September last year to strengthen management of agricultural product handling businesses at rest areas and jointly promote regular customized education and promotion starting this year.

First, NAQS will strengthen origin management by conducting joint semi-annual inspections of origin labeling at agricultural product sales points within rest areas in cooperation with Korea Expressway Corporation (regional headquarters) from product receipt to sales management. They will also prepare standard origin labeling boards for restaurants and processed products, conduct pre-management for each business during specific periods such as the summer vacation season, provide customized education support for rest areas, and designate dedicated honorary monitors for promotion.

Korea Expressway Corporation will promote the origin labeling system using electronic display boards within rest areas. Through this, business operators will improve management convenience, and consumers will enhance their awareness of origin labeling.

Seo Hae-dong, head of NAQS, said, "Through this collaboration, we will guarantee consumers' right to know and establish a sound distribution order by continuously managing (inspecting and promoting) the origin of agricultural products in response to increased foot traffic after COVID-19. We will continue to do our best to ensure that the origin labeling system is firmly established through cooperation with related organizations."