Geumsan County to Restrict Market Shipment of Ginseng Without QR Labels

Production History Information Embedded in QR Codes:
Producer, Root Age, Place of Origin, and Safety Inspection Included

Ginseng box with a QR label attached (Photo by Geumsan County)

Starting next year, Geumsan County will implement a full-scale safe ginseng distribution system by restricting the shipment of ginseng to the market unless it has a QR label attached.

The QR code contains information on the ginseng’s production history and safety, including the producer, age of the root, place of production, and safety inspection records.

Consumers can instantly access this information by scanning the code with their mobile phone cameras.

Registration of production history information and issuance of QR labels are available free of charge at local ginseng box retailers, the Geumsan Fresh Ginseng Center, and the Geumsan Ginseng & Herb Industry Promotion Foundation.

This year, the county established a management system for safe ginseng production history information and provided relevant training and demonstrations for industry stakeholders, including producers and wholesalers.

In addition, the county plans to strengthen technical and administrative support by continuously gathering feedback from the field to ensure the stable implementation of this system.

Furthermore, the county is preparing measures to provide distribution incentives to producers who participate in safety inspections.

Kim Boseong, an official in charge of ginseng and herbal policy, stated, "Mandatory safe ginseng distribution is a key measure to establish the safety of Geumsan ginseng," adding, "We hope that all stakeholders in the ginseng industry will recognize this system as an essential step for safety and trust, and actively participate in establishing a new distribution order."

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