Intensive Origin Inspection on Online Agricultural Product Sales: "Overseas Direct Purchase Products Must Also Display Origin in Korean"

Nonggwanwon to Inspect False or Missing Origin Labels from 11th to 22nd
Up to 7 Years Imprisonment or 100 Million Won Fine for False Labeling

The National Agricultural Products Quality Management Service announced on the 5th that it will conduct a regular crackdown from the 11th to the 22nd to strengthen the management of origin labeling in online sales.

An official from the agency explained, "As online distribution has been continuously expanding recently and violations of origin labeling have increased, we established the '2024 Online Sales Origin Labeling Management Plan' earlier last month," adding, "As part of this, we are conducting a regular crackdown to strengthen the management of origin labeling in online sales."

In fact, the proportion of origin violations related to agricultural products sold online increased from 6.9% in 2019 to 25% in 2023.

Overseas direct purchase items piled up at the Incheon Customs Express Logistics Center in Jung-gu, Incheon. (File photo)

The crackdown targets false or missing origin labeling of agricultural products, processed foods, and delivery foods sold through restaurant delivery apps, online shopping malls, TV home shopping, and more. Guidance and inspections will also be conducted on overseas direct purchase products, which consumers frequently use.

The main inspection items include ▲foods listed as domestic origin on delivery app menus but made with foreign ingredients ▲processed foods labeled as domestic origin in the top origin labeling section but containing foreign raw materials in detailed information below ▲products that separately indicate origin in the top section but do not actually display origin labeling ▲products labeled as domestic origin despite being foreign agricultural products or labeled as specialty products from famous regions despite being general agricultural products ▲imported direct purchase products missing Korean origin labeling, among others.

In particular, this crackdown involves a cyber inspection team of 350 members, including honorary monitors from consumer groups familiar with digital environments and cyber monitoring personnel from the agency. They pre-inspected online origin labeling content as if purchasing agricultural products online (March 4?8), and for companies suspected of violations, special judicial police and honorary monitors will conduct joint on-site inspections.

Companies found violating the law will face criminal penalties under the Origin Labeling Act, including imprisonment of up to 7 years or fines up to 100 million KRW for false labeling, and fines up to 10 million KRW for missing labels or incorrect labeling methods.

Park Seong-woo, head of the agency, said, "Although origin labeling in online sales has improved significantly, there are still many shortcomings," and added, "We will continue guidance, publicity, and crackdowns together with consumer groups and the online sales industry to establish proper origin labeling in online sales."