Photo courtesy of the Gyeonggi Province Special Judicial Police Unit
SUWON — Gyeonggi Province’s Special Judicial Police said on the 9th that it will crack down on illegal practices at restaurants along the province’s coastline this autumn.
The unit will conduct intensive inspections for two weeks from Oct. 6 to Oct. 20, targeting restaurants near beaches and public waters in five coastal cities: Ansan, Hwaseong, Siheung, Pyeongtaek and Gimpo.
The campaign is designed to prevent food safety incidents as demand for coastal dining rises during the autumn travel season. The main targets are unlicensed pop-up restaurants that operate temporarily while selling seasonal seafood such as gizzard shad and shrimp.
Inspectors will focus on unlicensed food service operations, failure to report changes in business floor space, false labeling of seafood origin, and unauthorized occupation of public waters.
Operating a food service business without reporting it to the competent authority carries a prison term of up to three years or a fine of up to 30 million won.
The same penalty can apply to businesses that fail to report changes to key details such as floor space. False labeling of the origin of seafood and other foods carries a prison term of up to seven years or a fine of up to 100 million won.
“We will respond firmly to illegal acts that undermine the safety of seaside food and the marine landscape,” said Kwon Mun-ju, head of the Gyeonggi Provincial Special Judicial Police. “We will do our best in enforcement and prevention so that residents can visit the coast with peace of mind.”