Incheon Namdong-gu, Joint Inspection of Illegal Activities at Fish Market
Controversy Over Overcharging Causes Repeated Issues
The local government has stepped in at the Incheon Soraepogu Fish Market, which was embroiled in controversy over 'overcharging.' Following an investigation by Incheon City, it was revealed that some stores had inadequate management of their scales used to weigh seafood.
On the 6th, Namdong-gu in Incheon announced that it had conducted three joint inspections of illegal activities at Soraepogu since last month. Previously, on February 29 and March 2, the district had cracked down on overcharging, illegal solicitation, and price tag violations.
The joint investigation, involving six departments, inspected around 290 stores. As a result, nine establishments were found using non-compliant measuring devices, and two stores handling salted seafood failed to submit health certificates on time.
Regarding the non-compliant scales, it was confirmed that the scales exceeded the allowable error margin. When a 5kg weight was placed on the scale, the displayed weight differed from the actual weight by up to 80g (the allowable error is 60g). Using such scales can inflate the weight of seafood, allowing sellers to charge higher prices. The district issued improvement orders to the stores found in violation.
Recently, the Soraepogu market has been plagued by overcharging controversies. The issue intensified after a popular YouTuber posted a video last month that caught the attention of netizens. In the video, when the YouTuber expressed intent to buy after seeing a sign stating '40,000 KRW per 1kg,' the vendor demanded 50,000 KRW, adding 10,000 KRW more than the price on the tag.
On the afternoon of the 5th, the joint inspection team from Namdong-gu Office in Incheon is inspecting a plate-type scale at Soraepogu Fish Market. [Image source=Yonhap News]
When the YouTuber declined, the vendor said, "You don't have to buy, let's just weigh it," but did not specify the exact weight. The vendor also demanded 378,000 KRW for two snow crabs and 540,000 KRW for king crabs. The YouTuber lamented, "I was dragged there and just listened to the explanation, but I feel like a criminal for not buying," adding, "I can't say a single good thing from A to Z."
Meanwhile, in June last year, controversy erupted when a store at Soraepogu was accused of selling 'legless blue crabs' to customers. As the controversy grew, market vendors apologized with deep bows and promised to eradicate such sales tactics, but the issue remains ongoing. This is the background for the local government’s direct supervision of inadequate stores.
Meanwhile, the district plans to continue strong joint inspections involving all related departments. The inspection frequency will be significantly increased to at least three times a week. Additionally, efforts will be made to improve merchants' awareness so that the merchants' association can independently take action against stores engaging in overcharging, excessive solicitation, and price tag violations.
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