The Seoul Metropolitan Government's Civil Welfare Investigation Unit announced on the 1st that it has uncovered seven illegal imported food sales businesses by cracking down on unmanned stores and other food vendors in the academy district.
This crackdown targeted 33 food sales businesses from Aug. 6 to 14 during the summer vacation.
According to the cases uncovered by the Seoul Metropolitan Government this time, there was one case of selling unreported imported food (directly purchased from overseas), one case of repackaging and selling opened packaged products (without Korean labeling), and five cases of displaying and selling products past their consumption date.
According to the Food Sanitation Act, displaying or selling unreported and unlabeled imported food can result in up to 10 years of imprisonment or a fine of up to 100 million won. Additionally, selling or displaying food past its consumption date may lead to fines.
In response, the Seoul Metropolitan Government has criminally charged two illegal sales businesses for unreported imported food and referred five businesses selling products past their consumption date to the local district for fines. The government is also conducting tests for harmful substances including narcotics on 30 cases of overseas purchased food collected during the crackdown.
Kim Hyun-joong, head of the Seoul Metropolitan Government's Civil Welfare Investigation Unit, noted, "As overseas purchases and travel increase, concerns are growing about the harm caused by dangerous foods brought in from abroad," and he added, "We will strive to eradicate illegal imported food sales to protect the health and safety of citizens."