The police have launched an investigation into Baek Jong-won, the CEO of Daebon Korea, who is suspected of making cooking equipment manufactured for industrial use appear to be for food use.
On the 29th, the Seocho Police Station announced that it is investigating a case of violation of the Act on Fair Labeling and Advertising (labeling and advertising law) involving Baek and Daebon Korea, which was reported through the National Petition Center.
The complainant raised concerns that Daebon Korea used cooking equipment made of metal with an industrial surface finish (STS304 surface finish NO.1) during various local festivals held from 2023 to 2024, and posted banners and certificates that made it look like the metal was finished for food use.
The banner set up at the festival cooking site by Daebon Korea included the phrase "Our barbecue equipment is made of stainless steel and has passed safety inspection," along with an image of a POSCO certificate, which has been pointed out as having no relevance to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety's food suitability certification.
According to the labeling and advertising law, if a label or advertisement is misleading or creates a risk of misunderstanding, it violates fair trade order, and penalties include imprisonment for up to two years or a fine of up to 150 million won.
The police plan to summon the complainant and transfer the case to the Gangnam Police Station, which has jurisdiction over Daebon Korea's address.
Meanwhile, Daebon Korea received a corrective order from the Gangnam District Office due to allegations of false advertising regarding its 'Deopjuk' product.
Image source: Baek Jong-won, CEO of Daebon Korea / News1, Reference photo for understanding the article / gettyimagesbank
