Dongdaemun-gu to Conduct Special Inspection on Seafood Country-of-Origin Labeling

Intensive Inspections at Cheongnyangni Fish Market and Gyeongdong Market from July 20 to 31

Dongdaemun-gu in Seoul will conduct a special inspection of the labeling of country of origin for seafood from July 20 to 31 in anticipation of increased seafood consumption during the summer vacation season.

Cheongnyangni Fish Market reference photo. Provided by Dongdaemun-gu.

The inspection will target seafood-serving restaurants, Cheongnyangni Fish Market, and the basement 1st floor of the new building at Gyeongdong Market—traditional markets where seafood vendors are concentrated. The district will organize inspection teams consisting of two honorary agricultural and marine product inspectors to monitor these sites. If a business is found to have insufficient labeling, health and hygiene staff will conduct additional inspections.

The inspection will verify whether seafood subject to country of origin labeling, as stipulated by the Act on Labeling of Origin for Agricultural and Fishery Products, is properly labeled and whether the labeling methods are appropriate. For restaurants, 20 types of seafood subject to labeling and live seafood stored or displayed in aquariums will be checked. For vendors, seafood and processed seafood products available for sale will be inspected.

The actual state of hygiene management, as required by the Food Sanitation Act, will also be reviewed. Inspectors will check for the storage, sale, or use of expired products, whether food has been reused, the cleanliness of kitchens, and compliance with facility standards, such as the presence of pest control measures.

The district plans to swiftly impose administrative sanctions on establishments found to have committed serious or intentional violations, in accordance with relevant laws. Along with the inspection, the authorities will distribute country-of-origin labeling boards and informational leaflets, and they will guide business owners on correct labeling methods.

Choi Dongmin, Mayor of Dongdaemun-gu, said, "Since seafood consumption increases significantly during the summer, thorough inspection of country-of-origin labeling and hygiene management is more important than ever. We will continue our ongoing guidance and inspections to create a distribution environment where consumers can purchase food with confidence, and we will do our best to establish a proper culture of country-of-origin labeling."

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