"Sorry for Overcharging" Deep Bow Apology at Soraepogu, Inspection Conducted During Flower Crab Season

Repeated Controversies Over Solicitation and Mixed Selling
Namdong District Mayor: "Hope Image Improves Through Self-Regulation Efforts"

Namdong-gu, Incheon, has conducted a focused inspection of the Soraepogu Fish Market in Incheon and issued a total of 150 administrative sanctions. This action was taken after public opinion worsened due to reports on YouTube about some businesses in the Soraepogu Fish Market charging exorbitant prices, such as asking 378,000 KRW for two king crabs.

Since March, Namdong-gu has been conducting weekly on-site inspections at the Soraepogu Fish Market and announced that it has imposed a total of 150 administrative sanctions, including fines and improvement orders.

Seventeen businesses in the fish market were fined between 50,000 and 90,000 KRW for failing to label the origin of seafood, and 61 plate-type scales that displayed weights different from the actual weight were also detected and ordered to be corrected.

A video uploaded last February by YouTuber 'Saengseon Seonsaeng Mr. S' after visiting the Soraepogu Fish Market in Incheon. [Image source=YouTube capture]

Three businesses were fined between 160,000 and 200,000 KRW for violating the regulation requiring annual health checkups. Additionally, one case each of false origin labeling and kitchen cleanliness violations were identified, resulting in corrective actions and fines of 250,000 KRW respectively.

Park Jong-hyo, Mayor of Namdong-gu, said, "With the peak season for flower crabs and the Soraepogu Festival approaching, many visitors are expected to come to Soraepogu. I hope that through the merchants' active self-regulation efforts, the negative image of the Soraepogu Fish Market will improve."

Meanwhile, the YouTube video that sparked controversy over overcharging was posted in February. The YouTuber 'Saengseon Seonsaeng Mr. S' visited the Soraepogu Fish Market in Incheon and asked the price of two king crabs. The merchant said the price for two king crabs weighing 4.2 kg was 378,000 KRW, which is 90,000 KRW per kilogram. When the YouTuber gestured that the price was expensive and difficult, the merchant said, "These days, octopus is expensive, so I will add two octopuses as a service and treat you well."

In the video description, the YouTuber criticized, "I now understand why people curse at Soraepogu. This place is seriously rotten. I cannot say a single good word about it."

However, the controversy over overcharging at Soraepogu is not new. In June last year, Soraepogu merchants held a self-purification meeting to apologize and pledged to eradicate excessive solicitation and overcharging. In response, Namdong-gu conducted education for 300 Soraepogu merchants on eliminating illegal activities and carried out a joint focused inspection with related departments in March.