"Vietnamese Whiteleg Shrimp Are Typically Farmed"
After the Issue Was Raised, The Born Korea Revised Its Advertisement Wording
Baek Jong-won, CEO of The Born Korea, was recently booked over allegations of false advertising regarding the origin of products at his coffee franchise Paik’s Coffee, and has now been additionally reported for similar suspicions involving another product.
On the 27th, an online community post on DC Inside by a complainant identified as A stated, "I have additionally reported The Born Korea’s Deopjuk advertisement, which labels 'wild-caught shrimp,' to the Gangnam District Office."
A said, "Labeling 'wild-caught shrimp' in The Born Korea’s Deopjuk advertisement is false information," and added, "To clarify whether this violates the Food Labeling and Advertising Act, I submitted a criminal complaint request to the Gangnam District Office through the National Petition System."
A explained, "On the 24th, I reported the advertisement by phone to the National Agricultural Products Quality Management Service, and a special judicial police investigation is currently underway," adding, "The false advertising labels were all corrected on the 25th."
The problematic Deopjuk product is The Sinchon’s Deopjuk, a ready-to-eat meal developed using recipes from a famous restaurant featured on SBS’s variety show Baek Jong-won’s Alley Restaurant, where Baek Jong-won appeared.
Looking at the shopping malls where the product was sold, it was promoted with phrases such as "special secret porridge broth made with domestically sourced kelp, shrimp, and anchovies," and "the crowning touch of the Deopjuk topping: wild-caught shrimp." However, the ingredient list on the product indicated that the shrimp, which was introduced as domestic, was actually sourced from Vietnam.
The claim of "wild-caught" was also pointed out as problematic. A stated, "Vietnamese whiteleg shrimp imported and distributed in Korea is a farmed ingredient, yet the advertisement labeled it as 'wild-caught shrimp,' misleading consumers about the quality and origin of the raw materials."
In response to the issue, The Born Korea revised the product description on the 25th to "special secret porridge broth made with domestically sourced kelp," and "the crowning touch of the Deopjuk topping: plump shrimp."
A said, "I hope this case is recognized not as a simple labeling mistake or voluntary correction issue, but as a serious violation that undermines the legislative intent of the Food Labeling and Advertising Act," adding, "Since the person responsible for labeling and advertising is a figure who has socially built trust and holds a responsible position, the Gangnam District Office, as the competent administrative authority, has the responsibility to respond firmly with criminal prosecution even if administrative measures are not possible."
This is not the first time The Born Korea has faced controversy over product origin labeling. On the 21st, the Gangnam Police Station in Seoul received a criminal complaint against CEO Baek Jong-won through the National Petition System and booked him without detention on charges of violating the Food Labeling and Advertising Act.
Paik’s Coffee faced issues last year in January when it promoted "Our Agricultural Products, Our Paik’s Coffee" on social media with the product "Chewy Sweet Potato Bread." While the advertisement suggested the bread used domestic ingredients, another promotional material for the same product stated that it contained some Chinese sweet potatoes. Additionally, it was later revealed that a ready-to-eat chicken product introduced as supporting domestic farms actually contained Brazilian chicken, sparking further controversy.
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