|
Coming right on the heals of the "garbage dumpling" scandal rocking the nation, prosecutors have disclosed that a firm used Chinese-made kimchi that had passed its expiration date to make instant noodle seasoning, which was then supplied to a famous instant noodle (Korean: ramyeon) company and highway rest stops.
In addition, prosecutors discovered firms that sold Chinese farm products to baby food manufacturers claiming they were locally produced and food companies that sold imported pork as locally produced.
The 2nd Criminal Division of Seoul Central Court and National Agriculture Products Quality Management Service said Thursday that in a recent special crackdown on the false marking of agricultural products' nation of origin, 11 individuals including a certain Mr. Chu, the head of an unnamed instant noodle seasoning company, were charged with violating agricultural produce quality maintenance laws while 25 others were summarily fined up to W20 million.
 |
|
The KFTA discloses to the public dumplings it confiscated from Gohyang Frozen Foods, who is accused of having made ¡°garbage dumplings.¡±
|
 |
|
According to prosecutors, Chu is suspected of receiving 38 tons of Chinese-made kimchi, usually about 50 days past its expiration date, from an unnamed kimchi company between October of last year and January of this year. This was turned into about 9.9 tons of kimchi soup seasoning (about 3.3 million packets), which was then marked as using Korean-made ingredients and sold to a famous Korean instant noodle firm and highway rest stops.
According to existing laws, the expiration date of imported kimchi is determined by taking into consideration how it¡¯s packaged by the importing firm and selecting a date within the range of expiration set by the country of origin.
The instant noodle manufacturer that received the kimchi seasoning said there were absolutely no sanitation problems with the kimchi; the only problem was the kimchi's high acidity. Nevertheless, they took moral responsibility for the false country of origin markings and have terminated their contracts with the offending kimchi seasoning company. It is also recalling all its instant noodle packages currently on the shelves.
A certain import company produced 77.4 tons of millet powder made from Chinese-made agricultural goods and sold it to famous baby food producers after marking it as "made from Korean ingredients."
A food company sold 109 tons (about W530 million) of pork ribs to a large supermarket as Korean-produced, when in actual fact it was 60 percent imported. Another food company sold red pepper powder and sesame oil made from Chinese-made ingredients to school cafeterias as Korean-made.
That firm also falsely market as Korean-made 45.9 tons of pumpkin porridge made from pumpkins imported from Vietnam and New Zealand and sold it through a famous TV home shopping network, while another firm sold 33,500 kilograms of chicken stock made partially from chicken bone imported from Thailand to another food company, claiming the stock was made using Korean ingredients.
Prosecutors said the firms misused the fact that it's hard to tell where raw materials are from when they've been crushed or roasted, and their goods were not sold directly to consumers. They vowed to crackdown on similar crimes in order to establish a healthy food culture.
Prosecutors had sought arrest warrants for seven of these individuals, but the court rejected their requests. Prosecutors reapplied for arrest warrants for three individuals, but the court once again rejected their requests.
Prosecutors expressed disappointment, claiming that while the court said the individuals involved posed no risk of flight, it seemed the court did not take the crimes as seriously as it should.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
|
