"Less Than 10,000 Won for 30 Bottles" Snapped Up Online, But Shocked by QR Code... Government Strengthens Control Over Illegal Bottled Water Distribution

Strengthening Online Oversight of Bottled Water Distribution
Management System Lags Behind Despite Fivefold Market Expansion
Focused Investigation into Import Reporting and Advertising Restrictions

Mr. A, an office worker, had a frustrating experience after purchasing drinking water (bottled spring water) online at a price lower than in stores. He said, "I bought a pack of thirty 2-liter bottles for less than 10,000 won, but when I scanned the QR code, I found out the product was close to its expiration date." As more consumers buy bottled water through online open markets and proxy shopping services, concerns are growing about the safety of products that have not been properly verified.

According to relevant ministries on July 6, the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment has decided to establish a plan in the second half of this year for 'online distribution management and supervision of groundwater (bottled spring water)' in order to block the illegal sale of drinking water distributed online. An official from the Ministry said, "As the online market expands, there is a growing possibility that bottled spring water products not permitted under current laws may be distributed through domestic internet shopping malls."

Current Water Management Act regulations allow only products registered as manufacturers or importers and properly reported for import to be distributed and sold in Korea. According to market research firm Euromonitor, the domestic bottled water market reached 3.176 trillion won in 2024, more than five times its size in 2014 (600 billion won). As of July last year, the Ministry reported there were 59 bottled spring water manufacturers in Korea.

The issue is that the management system has not kept pace with the market's rapid growth. On online platforms, sellers change frequently and products are constantly being listed and delisted, making it difficult to monitor whether sellers are registered importers or have completed import reporting. As a result, concerns have continuously been raised about the distribution of products that have not undergone legal procedures or that feature false or exaggerated advertising.

The government will strengthen measures to prevent consumers from accessing non-compliant products, including blocking sales, conducting inspections and collection, and enforcing disposal. It plans to focus on monitoring bottled spring water sold on major open markets such as Coupang and Naver, checking for importer registration, import reporting, advertising regulation violations, false or exaggerated advertising, and the use of misleading labels.

If a product suspected of violating regulations is found during the investigation, the responsible organization will collect sales information and notify the e-commerce intermediary, who will then request the seller to correct the issue voluntarily. If the seller fails to correct the violation or provide a valid explanation, the product will be subject to sales suspension. If resale is detected after the suspension, an immediate report will be made to the government.

Additionally, products suspected of violations that are reported through platforms such as the National Reporting Center will also be investigated. If a contracting agency requests a fact check, the responsible organization will investigate whether the product violates the Water Management Act. A government official said, "We will establish measures to improve the online distribution management of bottled spring water and use data collected during the distribution process to enhance the system and improve related regulations."

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