The National Agricultural Products Quality Management Service's South Jeolla Province office said Thursday it had uncovered 165 violations of origin-labeling rules during first-half enforcement operations.
Authorities referred 109 businesses to prosecutors on criminal charges for passing off foreign agricultural and livestock products as domestic.
Another 56 businesses that failed to display origin labels were fined a combined 16.4 million won ($4,240).
This year's first-half crackdown focused on goat and duck meat, which have seen rising distribution as alternatives to dog meat following enforcement of a law banning the dog meat trade.
Authorities also ran a targeted operation against restaurants that had gained popularity through word of mouth on social media, netting 20 businesses — 14 criminally referred and six fined.
kkm9971@heraldcorp.com
