Manufactured with Chinese Peaches and Foreign Rice
Detected Thanks to the Sharp Eyes of Authorities
A company that received subsidies while heavily promoting bread shaped like Hangul made from ingredients produced in Sejong City was caught violating the Origin Labeling Act.
The Chungnam branch of the National Agricultural Products Quality Management Service (NAQS) sent the CEO of a souvenir bread company in Sejong City, Mr. A, to prosecution without detention on the charge of violating the Origin Labeling Act on the 4th.
'Sejong Hangeul Bread,' known as a representative specialty product of Sejong City, has been sent to the prosecution on charges of violating origin labeling regulations.
Mr. A is accused of falsely labeling the main ingredient origins as Sejong City while manufacturing bread using peaches from Greece and China, and rice from both foreign countries and Korea from February 2023 to October last year. During this period, 248,448 products violating origin labeling were sold, worth approximately 620 million KRW.
Mr. A’s company has been producing souvenir bread prominently featuring the shape of Hangul to match the regional characteristics of Sejong City. It was promoted as "healthy rice bread made with 100% Sejong rice and Jochiwon peaches" and was even selected as a thank-you gift for the Hometown Love Donation Program.
However, the NAQS became suspicious when the products were labeled as containing domestic ingredients even during seasons when peaches are not produced. Considering that peaches are difficult to store and it is not easy to supply bread ingredients from Jochiwon peaches year-round, NAQS conducted an inquiry investigation targeting the company’s suppliers.
To avoid detection, Mr. A purchased peaches and rice from Sejong and displayed them inside the company, and after being caught, he showed meticulousness in planning the crime and destroying evidence by requesting reduced data from suppliers to conceal the violating quantities.
Mr. A’s company was caught in an origin violation crackdown by NAQS in September last year and received administrative sanctions. It was also revealed that Mr. A falsely submitted an application claiming to use local agricultural products and received 200 million KRW in subsidies from Sejong City and the Agricultural Technology Center, causing controversy.
An NAQS official stated, "The seriousness of the crime is significant, considering the false application claiming the use of local agricultural products to be selected for support projects funded by various national and local government budgets, and the great meaning King Sejong, who created Hangul, holds for Sejong City. We secured violation details through forced investigations such as executing search and seizure warrants."
Following the controversy, the company posted an apology on a local online community.
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