Distributor Caught Selling 72 Tons of Chinese Eels as ‘Domestic’ for ₩2.6 Billion
Creatrip Team
a month ago
A seafood distributor in South Korea was investigated for selling about 72 tons of frozen Chinese freshwater eels as “freshly processed domestic” product through an online store over 18 months (July 2024–Dec 2025). The National Fishery Products Quality Management Service (NFQS) says the fraudulent sales amounted to roughly ₩2.6 billion and targeted price differences between domestic and Chinese eels, worsening losses for local eel farms amid falling domestic prices. Under Korea’s origin-labeling law, false origin claims can bring up to 7 years prison or a fine up to ₩100 million; large, prolonged violations may incur fines up to five times the violation amount and permanent public disclosure of the offender’s name. NFQS said it will step up crackdowns with related groups like the Korea Freshwater Eel Producers Association and urged consumers to report suspected origin-label violations via hotline or the KakaoTalk “수산물원산지표시” channel (a KakaoTalk channel for reporting seafood origin-labeling).
