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Photo = Yonhap news |
[Alpha Biz= Kim Jisun] Celebrity chef and restaurateur Baek Jong-won’s food franchise company, The Born Korea, has been referred to the Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office for violating the Country-of-Origin Labeling Act.
According to legal sources on June 23, the Special Judicial Police of the National Agricultural Products Quality Management Service sent both The Born Korea corporation and one of its employees to prosecutors with an indictment recommendation on June 4. The company is accused of falsely labeling foreign-sourced ingredients as domestically produced on its online mall for products such as Baekseok Doenjang (fermented soybean paste) and Hanshin Pocha Nakji Bokkeum (spicy stir-fried octopus).
Investigators confirmed that some ingredients were indeed imported, supporting the criminal charge under the labeling law.
This is not the only controversy surrounding The Born Korea. Baek Jong-won is also under police investigation for allegedly violating the Food Sanitation Act by producing and distributing deep fryers made from industrial metal to franchisees. Additionally, from 2023 to last year, the company allegedly used non-food-grade cookware at local festivals across the country.
In a press briefing last month, police disclosed that they are currently conducting 14 investigations related to The Born Korea and Baek Jong-won.
Alphabiz Reporter Kim Jisun(stockmk2020@alphabiz.co.kr)
