– Large Retail Stores Mandated to Participate in Monthly Inspection and to Post the Results In-Store
– Food Complaints Handled through the 1472 System.

* Gyeonggi Province will reorganize its “Beef Origin Management Team,” the temporary organization established to ease residents¢®? concerns over imported beef from the US and reinforce beef origin management, into the “Food Safety Team” in order to lay the foundation for successful food safety management.
– Background for the reorganization: The province established and promoted origin management policies during the beef origin notification guidance period (from July to September, 2008) for restaurants in accordance with the Agricultural Product Quality Management Law. The province provided guidance and conducted inspections jointly with each city and county.
– Number of inspected restaurants: 165,074 (130% of all registered restaurants (127,518))
– Number of violations: 305 (40 – prosecution and administrative actions, 265 – corrections)

– Recently, there have been a number of food safety incidents, such as the so-called “Mouse Head Snack” and imported eels that were said to contain malachite green. Furthermore, with the recent incident in China concerning milk powder that was contaminated with melamine, consumer concerns about food safety have been increasing.

– The province will establish a “Food Safety Management Team” that will consist of 3 teams and 14 members specialized in the safety of agricultural, livestock, and fishery products. The team will be responsible for intensive food safety management, including the establishment and implementation of food safety inspection measures; one-stop public services; and origin management.

* Recovery of consumer confidence in foods was designated as the first step of food safety management.
– To ensure the consumer’s right to comprehensive information about the foods they eat, Gyeonggi Province will collect agricultural, livestock, and fishery goods distributed at discount stores, department stores, and markets on a monthly basis and conduct safety inspections. The province will improve consumer reliability by requiring stores to post the inspection results on store shelves.

– In the past, the province collected and inspected food items on an annual basis, but the results of these inspections were not released to the public; this only increased consumer concerns over food safety. In addition, premium organic goods were not verified, so consumers had to accept what was written on the labels. As the inspection results will now be released, consumers will be able to make informed choices and purchase safe foods.

* Agreements made between Gyeonggi Province and 92 large retail stores

– Gyeonggi Province concluded agreements on food safety measures with 92 large retail stores that distribute over 70% of agricultural and fishery goods in the province. For smooth implementation of the measures, the province will conclude a “Food Safety Agreement” with 5 large retail businesses including Hanaro Club, Lotte Mart, EMart, GS Mart, and Home Plus, each of which operate multiple large retail stores.

* “Consumer Hotline 1472 System” for complaints about foods

– Gyeonggi Province has announced that it will introduce the “Consumer Hotline 1472 System.” The system enables consumers with complaints about foods to make a call to 120, the Gyeonggi Call Center, where they will be provided with one-stop services. The complaint will be reviewed, a field inspection made within 4 hours, and the inspection results will be provided within 7 days. In the event that a violation is discovered, a re-inspection will be made within 2 weeks.

– In the past, consumers had to make up to 10 calls to achieve the same results, due to difficulties in contacting the officers directly in charge, and incorrect contact numbers. The province decided to introduce the 1472 System to eliminate such inconveniences. Consumers are now able to make complaints about foods and receive the inspection result with much greater convenience.

– The hotline for food complaints is available by calling 120 (Call Center)/031-120 (outside Gyeonggi Province). Calls will be directly connected to the “Food Safety Management Team” and the 1472 System will be applied.

* Expansion of “Gyeonggi Agricultural Product Safeguard” consumer organizations into “Gyeonggi Food Safety Guard”

– Consumers Korea, YWCA, and the Home-Missing Housewives Association announced that they are jointly preparing the establishment ceremony for “Gyeonggi Food Safety Guard.” The ceremony will be held in October 2008.

– It is expected that consumer organizations will be able to monitor foods in a more efficient manner by directly collecting and inspecting the foods used by consumers.

* Issues about imported foods containing melamine

– Recently, the issue of Chinese milk powder containing melamine has been raised, and Gyeonggi Province quickly removed 5 products that were designated by the Korea Food & Drug Administration as containing melamine among 124 candidate products. The products were completely removed from 63 large retail stores, including E-Mart.
– Products containing melamine: Misarang Custard, a Chinese OEM product of Haitai Confectionary & Foods; ‘Milk Rusk’, biscuits imported from Hong Kong by J&J International; ‘Vegetable Cream Powder F25’ of Yuchang FC

– The Gyeonggi-do Institute of Health & Environment will conduct an Emergency Inspection of 305 suspect products imported from China by October 1, 2008. The Gyeonggi-do Veterinary Service will conduct an Emergency Inspection of dairy products distributed throughout the nation by October 5, 2008.

* Recommendations of Gyeonggi Province
– A spokesperson for Gyeonggi Province said, “This posting system at large retail stores, which is the first of its kind in Korea, will significantly improve consumer trust. Safe foods will be supplied to Gyeonggi residents through the 3-Non System (Non-Expiry/Non-Limit/Non-Discrimination) and the 1472 System.”

– Consumers are recommended to review the inspection results posted in stores so as to be better able to purchase clean and safe foods. To report a problem, please call 120 (Call Center), or review the actions made by stores before purchase.