Gyeonggi-do Increases 'Origin Label Inspectors' to 400 in Response to Japan's Contaminated Water Discharge

[Asia Economy (Suwon) = Reporter Lee Young-gyu] Gyeonggi Province is launching an inspection campaign on the origin labeling of agricultural and marine products. In particular, following Japan's decision to discharge contaminated water from Fukushima, the number of origin labeling inspectors will be more than doubled to 400.

Gyeonggi Province announced that from the 19th of this month to the 1st of next month, it will conduct guidance and inspections on the origin labeling of agricultural and marine products that are highly consumed during the summer vacation season.

The province will also conduct joint guidance and inspections with six cities and counties?Yangpyeong, Yongin, Icheon, Yeoju, Gunpo, and Siheung?until the 29th of this month.

The main inspection items include summer health foods such as chicken, abalone, eel, octopus, and loach, as well as popular outing items like beef, pork, and duck.

The inspection targets are specialty restaurants near amusement parks, campgrounds, valleys, beaches, and ports/fishing harbors, as well as wholesale and retail businesses.

The province will deploy 129 origin labeling inspectors for this guidance and inspection. They will also carry out non-face-to-face inspections through monitoring electronic media such as online markets and delivery apps, in response to the increase in delivery food orders, along with promotional activities for the origin labeling system.

According to the "Act on the Labeling of Origin of Agricultural and Marine Products," all agricultural and marine products distributed and sold must have their origin labeled. Additionally, restaurants that cook and sell food must mandatorily label the origin of 24 items (3 agricultural products, 6 livestock products, 15 marine products) and all live marine products stored and displayed in aquariums.

False labeling of origin or confusing/disguised sales practices are punishable by imprisonment of up to 7 years or a fine of up to 100 million KRW. Failure to label the origin results in a fine of up to 10 million KRW.

Following Japan's decision to discharge contaminated water from the nuclear power plant, the province plans to strengthen origin labeling by increasing the number of origin labeling inspectors from 129 to 400 starting next year.

Andonggwang, Director of the Agricultural Policy and Maritime Bureau of the province, said, "We will do our best to properly establish and implement the origin labeling system so that consumers can trust and purchase agricultural and marine products distributed and sold," and urged, "Please be sure to check the origin labeling when purchasing agricultural and marine products."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.