Ministry Cracks Down on Mislabelled Eel: One-Month Origin-Check Campaign
Creatrip Team
7 months ago
South Korea's Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries will run a month-long campaign (Jan 15–Feb 13) to inspect origin labeling of freshwater eel ahead of Lunar New Year. Authorities aim to prevent cheaper imported eels (e.g., from China) being sold as domestic by targeting live eel, filleted (processed) eel, and frozen products across online and offline channels. Inspections will cover restaurants, major retailers, and online marketplaces using mystery shoppers; investigators will use genetic testing where visual identification is difficult. False origin labeling can bring up to seven years in prison or a fine up to 100 million won, and missing labels can incur administrative fines up to 10 million won. The ministry asks consumers to report suspected cases via a hotline or the KakaoTalk “수산물 원산지표시”(seafood origin labeling) channel.
