Seoul City Intensifies Crackdown on Illegal Online Food Sales Ahead of Chuseok

The Seoul Metropolitan Government's Civil Affairs Judicial Police Unit announced on the 4th that it will conduct intensive crackdowns from today until the end of October on illegal online sales of gift items, false and exaggerated advertisements, and violations of origin labeling related to food products, which are expected to see increased demand around the upcoming Chuseok holiday.

Seoul City plans to investigate by checking the proper entry of mandatory product labeling items by category on online open markets (internet shopping sites), verifying the registration status of sellers of health functional foods, and purchasing suspected products with inappropriate ingredients to request safety inspections from relevant agencies.

The main investigation areas include ▲ unregistered online sales of health functional foods ▲ sales of health functional foods violating standards and specifications such as detection of inappropriate ingredients ▲ non-compliance with labeling standards ▲ false or exaggerated labeling or advertising ▲ labeling or advertising that may cause the perception of efficacy in disease prevention or treatment ▲ labeling or advertising that may cause the perception of non-health functional foods as health functional foods ▲ false or confusing origin labeling, among others.

Acts that threaten food safety are criminal offenses that harm citizens' health. Related crimes will be punished according to the laws below.

Seoul City urged citizens to actively report and provide information if they discover crimes related to online food sales around the Chuseok holiday. If they contribute to public interest promotion by reporting or providing information on criminal acts with decisive evidence, rewards of up to 200 million KRW are paid according to the 'Seoul Metropolitan Government Ordinance on the Protection and Support of Public Interest Whistleblowers.'

Seo Young-gwan, head of the Seoul Civil Affairs Judicial Police Unit, said, “With gift-giving through online channels becoming established after COVID-19, Seoul City will do its best to block hazardous foods to ensure citizens' health is not threatened by inappropriate products.”

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