The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs announced that it will launch a joint nationwide crackdown with related agencies on the illegal distribution of livestock products and agricultural food items for gifts and ancestral rites ahead of the Chuseok holiday, starting tomorrow (the 7th) through the 23rd.

The inspection targets about 1,000 businesses, including those suspected of falsely labeling origins and distributors with a history of violating the livestock traceback system.

During on-site inspections, if false labeling of livestock traceback numbers is suspected, DNA identity tests will also be conducted.

Under the current Act on Traceability of Livestock, falsely marking traceback numbers to deceive consumers about the grade or origin of livestock products is punishable by a fine or penalty of up to 5 million won.

Following an amendment to the law last July, penalties for such acts will be strengthened starting January 8 of next year, carrying up to one year in prison or a fine of up to 10 million won.

The National Agricultural Products Quality Management Service will deploy 285 special judicial police officers and 2,500 honorary inspectors from consumer and producer organizations to check the country of origin labeling on agricultural food items for Chuseok gifts and ancestral rites nationwide.

From tomorrow until the 13th, manufacturers, processors, and online retailers will be inspected, followed by agricultural food retailers such as large supermarkets and traditional markets from the 14th through the 23rd.

The inspection targets 15 major Chuseok seasonal items, including agricultural products such as napa cabbage, radishes, apples, pears, and sweet persimmons; livestock products such as beef, pork, chicken, and eggs; and forest products such as chestnuts and jujubes.

Intensive inspections will also focus on napa cabbage kimchi, pork, soybeans, beef, and chicken, which have frequently been caught for origin labeling violations from 2024 through June of this year.

Major targets for the crackdown include falsely labeling foreign agricultural foods as domestic, selling agricultural products produced in lesser-known regions by disguising them as famous regional specialties, and failing to label the country of origin.

Falsely labeling the place of origin is punishable by up to seven years in prison or a fine of up to 100 million won.

Failing to label the origin at all will result in fines ranging from 50,000 won to 10 million won.