Yeoncheon County in Gyeonggi Province announced on April 23 that it will conduct a special crackdown on the labeling of origins for flowers within the county starting next month.
This crackdown is being implemented in anticipation of increased flower consumption ahead of Family Month. The aim is to prevent the sale of imported flowers falsely labeled as domestic products and to protect local flower farms.
The crackdown will be carried out jointly by the National Agricultural Products Quality Management Service and the local government. The main targets are cut flowers (such as roses, chrysanthemums, and lilies) and potted plants (including orchids). In particular, the authorities plan to focus on checking for violations of origin labeling in non-face-to-face distribution channels such as online shopping malls and live commerce platforms.
Yeoncheon County will continue ongoing monitoring even after this crackdown and will also conduct promotional campaigns to raise consumer awareness about origin labeling.
An official from Yeoncheon County stated, "Recently, there have been repeated cases where some distributors label imported flowers as domestic or do not indicate the origin at all, raising concerns about consumer harm. Through thorough crackdowns, we will restore order in the market and protect the competitiveness of flower farms that produce and distribute honestly."
Meanwhile, violations of origin labeling can result in up to seven years of imprisonment or fines of up to 100 million won. Businesses caught violating the regulations may also face administrative sanctions and public disclosure through the media in accordance with relevant laws.
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