Korea Coast Guard Conducts Special Crackdown on Agricultural and Marine Products to Ensure Safe Food for the People During Kimjang Season

The Korea Coast Guard (Commissioner Kim Jong-wook) announced that it will conduct a special crackdown on agricultural and marine products for four weeks from November 11 to December 6 to stabilize prices of kimchi ingredients such as sea salt, pickled seafood, and red pepper powder, for which demand is expected to surge during the kimchi-making season, and to create an atmosphere where the public can purchase them with confidence.

In this special crackdown, 60 frontline foreign affairs police officers from across the country will be organized into a crackdown task force to crack down on large-scale smuggling and country of origin* crimes targeting various businesses, including famous domestic salted seafood markets and fish markets.

Penalty for violation: False labeling of country of origin is punishable by imprisonment for up to 7 years or a fine of up to 100 million won; failure to label country of origin is punishable by a fine of 50,000 won to 10 million won.
In particular, we plan to take strong legal action against ▲ smuggling in disguised red pepper powder as chopped seasoning (daedaegi) ▲ smuggling in large-scale agricultural and marine products through large cargo ▲ disguising the country of origin of kimchi ingredients such as sea salt and salted seafood ▲ acts that hinder price stability such as hoarding and auctioning.

Commissioner General of the Korea Coast Guard Kim Jong-wook said, “We will respond strongly to large-scale smuggling and country of origin crimes that promote public anxiety and discourage consumption during the kimchi-making season when agricultural and marine product consumption increases,” and asked, “Please actively report any violations to the nearest coast guard station.”

Editor. Hong Se-yeong