MFDS Conducts Special Inspection on Illegal Food and Drug Advertisements Targeting 'Suneung Special'

'Memory and Concentration Enhancement', 'Chongmyungtang' Label
Online Illegal and Unfair Advertising Inspection Starts from the 17th

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Young-won] The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety will conduct a special inspection of unfair advertisements related to food and pharmaceuticals that exploit the anxiety of parents and examinees ahead of the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT).

The Ministry announced that starting from the 17th, it will carry out special inspections targeting online sales websites and will take strong actions such as administrative measures against companies found violating regulations.

This inspection was prepared to prevent consumer damage as unfair and illegal advertising practices, such as expressions like 'memory and concentration enhancement' and the use of names like 'Chongmyung-tang' (a traditional herbal prescription), are expected to increase.

The main inspection points for food include cases using traditional herbal prescription names such as 'Chongmyung-tang' and 'Gyeongok-go', advertisements expressing specific effects like 'improving examinees' concentration', and advertising general foods as if they have recognized functionalities such as 'immunity' and 'memory improvement'. Foods cannot be advertised with functional claims or using traditional herbal prescription names or similar names, and pharmaceuticals cannot be sold online.

For pharmaceuticals, the inspection will focus on online sales and advertisements of psychotropic drugs containing 'methylphenidate', used to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), for the purpose of enhancing examinees' concentration. Selling or advertising psychotropic drugs is illegal, and both sellers and buyers are subject to punishment.

Last year's inspection identified 194 posts advertising general foods as having concentration-enhancing effects for examinees or promoting health functional foods as tension-relieving agents, resulting in site blocks and requests for administrative actions.

The Ministry plans to block websites found violating regulations after the special inspection and take strong measures such as administrative actions and prosecutions against sellers.

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