Displaying 40,000 Won but Charging 50,000 Won... Soraepogu Cracks Down on 'Overcharging'

The Jurisdictional Local Government Plans to Conduct Inspections at Least Three Times a Week

As controversies over overcharging and excessive solicitation at the Incheon Soraepogu Fish Market continue, the local government in charge has launched a strict crackdown.

Last June, when the overcharging controversy intensified, the Soraepogu merchants issued an apology. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Namdong-gu, Incheon City, announced on the 4th that it conducted intensive inspections in cooperation with related departments to eradicate illegal business activities around Soraepogu. On the 29th of last month and the 2nd of this month, six departments including the Department of Living Economy, Food Hygiene, and Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries jointly inspected the fish market.

During the inspection, nine plate-type scales (measuring devices) that displayed weights different from the actual weight were detected and improvement orders were issued. The district brought a 5kg weight and tested the scales, finding that the displayed weight on the detected scales differed from the actual weight by up to 80g (allowable error 60g). Additionally, two business owners selling salted seafood and marinated crabs were found to have violated the regulation requiring a health checkup once a year, resulting in fines of 200,000 KRW each.

The district plans to conduct joint inspections at least three times a week going forward, checking for compliance with origin labeling and hygiene management regulations.

Park Jong-hyo, head of Namdong-gu Office, said, "The illegal business activities of some merchants are damaging the overall image of Soraepogu. We will eradicate illegal business activities through strict enforcement to eliminate inconveniences for consumers visiting Soraepogu."

[Image source=Namdong-gu, Incheon]

This joint inspection was initiated after a recent YouTube channel revealed overcharging and solicitation practices at some businesses. In a video posted by a YouTuber on the 12th, some fish market businesses displayed the price of flatfish as 40,000 KRW per kilogram on the price tag but guided customers to pay 50,000 KRW, or unilaterally took seafood out of tanks to pressure customers into purchasing.

In response, the merchants' association recently held an executive meeting and decided to suspend the businesses for 15 days, citing violations of price display regulations and excessive solicitation.