Baek Jong-won’s company, The Born Korea, has been referred to the prosecution for violations related to origin labeling.
On the 4th, the National Agricultural Products Quality Management Service’s special judicial police sent one employee of The Born Korea and the corporation to the Seoul Western District Prosecutor's Office.
A representative from The Born Korea stated on the 23rd, "We are fully cooperating with the investigation and will do our best to ensure that consumers can feel secure."
The Born Korea is accused of advertising its products as made from domestic ingredients while actually using imported ones. The 'Baek Jong-won's Baeksuk Doenjang' was made with Chinese meju and imported soybeans.
The 'Hanshin Pocha Nakji Bokkeum' claimed to use domestic garlic, but the actual ingredients included Chinese garlic. Some ingredients were from foreign sources, yet they were labeled as domestic in some promotions.
In the advertisement for 'Deopjuk', it was claimed that domestic shrimp was used, but it is known that Vietnamese shrimp was actually used. In addition, there are suspicions of using industrial metal cooking tools.
In March, the Quality Control Authority reported The Born Korea for origin labeling violations regarding three products: soy sauce, doenjang, and agricultural processed goods, and issued orders for 'label removal and modification.'
Last month, at a regular press conference on the 12th, police stated, "We are currently investigating a total of 14 cases against CEO Baek and The Born Korea for violations of food labeling and advertising laws, as well as food hygiene laws."
The Gangnam Police Station is looking into allegations of false advertising and the use of industrial metal cooking utensils. The Anti-Corruption Investigation Team of the Chungnam Provincial Police Agency is investigating allegations of raw meat being left at room temperature and transported by a truck at a local festival.
Baek Jong-won has apologized three times. He stated, "I will cease all broadcasting activities. As a businessman, I will solely focus on the growth of The Born Korea."
<Photo Credit: The Born Korea>
