According to reports on March 13, KST, celebrity chef and popular TV personality Paik Jong Won has been formally indicted for violating the Country of Origin Labeling Act. Paik’s company, The Born Korea, is currently undergoing investigations based on several alleged violations.
Paik has been indicted on two counts of breaching the Country of Origin Labeling Act for two of his brand’s popular products: Paik Jong Won’s Baekseok Doenjang (fermented soybean paste) and Hanshin Pocha’s stir-fried octopus. The Seoul Office of the National Agricultural Products Quality Management Service’s Special Judicial Police is investigating based on a handful of accusations.
Firstly, the Baekseok Doenjang, which is produced at Born Korea’s Baekseok factory, was revealed to include imported ingredients such as CHiense modified menu, soybeans from Canada, the US, and Australia, and wheat flour from Australia and the US. Since the product is marketed as “Korea-made,” using non-local ingredients violates regulations.
Additionally, the factory is located in an agricultural promotion zone, which legally limits facilities in the area to process only domestically produced agricultural and marine products. A violation of this regulation could result in prison time of up to five years or hefty fines, up to ₩50.0 million KRW (about $ 34,500 USD).
On the other hand, the octopus dish was found to contain Chinese garlic despite its advertisements claiming that it was made with locally sourced green onions, onions, and garlic. The Born Korea is, however, only responsible for the product’s distribution. It is manufactured by another company.
If the probe finds Paik Jong Won guilty, he could face up to seven years in prison or a fine of up to ₩100 million KRW (about $ 68,900 USD). In addition to legal accountability, a whistleblower involved in this case has demanded that he publicly apologize for his hypocritical actions, given that Paik has been a very vocal advocate of transparent labeling in the past.
Stay tuned for more updates.
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