Mandatory Country of Origin Disclosure for Online Malls and Delivery Apps… Effective October 22

A system requiring online sales intermediaries, such as online shopping malls and delivery apps, to mandatorily inform vendors about the country of origin labeling system went into effect on October 22. Failure to comply with the notification obligation will result in a fine of up to 4 million won, depending on the number of violations.

On October 21, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs announced the details of the enforcement decree and enforcement rules following the amendment of the Act on the Labeling of Origin of Agricultural and Fishery Products. The core of this system is the new assignment of responsibility to platforms mediating online transactions to provide guidance on the origin labeling system to their vendors.

Applicable to online meat retailers as well… New responsibility for platform guidance established

When a mail-order sales intermediary receives a request for sales brokerage, it must inform the vendor of the scope of agricultural and fishery products and processed goods subject to country of origin labeling, labeling methods, prohibited matters such as false labeling, and sanctions for violations.

This system applies to online butcher shops, specialized livestock malls, and vendors on delivery platforms that handle meat, as well as those selling livestock products subject to country of origin labeling, such as beef and pork. However, since not all online sellers are telecommunications sales intermediaries, actual applicability must be determined based on the platform's transaction structure.

The important thing isThe fact that the existing obligation of retailers to actually indicate the country of origin does not disappear.Sellers must accurately indicate the country of origin of the product, and a separate obligation has been added for intermediary platforms to provide information on the system.

Notification can be made via announcements, information screens, individual notifications, etc.

The platform may continuously post details regarding the country of origin labeling system on the initial screen or in the announcements, notify vendors to check the information, or provide a separate guidance screen. Individual notification methods using electronic documents such as email or text messages, or written materials, are also permitted.

If the obligation to provide notice is violated, a fine of 1 million won is imposed for the first offense, 2 million won for the second, and 4 million won for the third and subsequent offenses. This is a sanction for the platform failing to inform customers about the country of origin labeling system. If the country of origin of an actual product is omitted or falsely labeled, separate legal standards applicable to the seller must be examined.

How is the country of origin displayed for food sold on delivery apps?

The National Agricultural Products Quality Management Service is providing guidance on the requirement for country of origin labeling for food sales via delivery apps, as well as the applicable items and labeling methods. The information below isMethod of indicating the country of origin for delivery food sellersAs an explanation of, the newly establishedPlatform's Notification ObligationIt must be viewed separately from...

For example, if a restaurant sells menu items on a delivery app that use ingredients subject to country of origin labeling, it must comply with the labeling standards for those items. For beef, not only the country of origin but also the labeling of the type of meat required by law must be checked. In the case of menu items using ingredients from different countries or kimchi products, it is necessary to examine the detailed labeling methods.

Importance of origin management amidst the expansion of online meat distribution

In online transactions, consumers make purchasing decisions based on information displayed on the screen rather than physically inspecting the product. For items such as meat, processed meat products, and delivery food, where country of origin labeling influences purchasing decisions, the accuracy of that information is particularly important.

This amendment focused not on requiring platforms to guarantee the country of origin of every individual product, but on establishing a system to notify vendors to familiarize themselves with the labeling system. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs plans to use this measure to prevent violations of country of origin labeling and strengthen consumers' right to know.

Source and Editing Guidelines
Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Announcement regarding notification obligations for the country of origin labeling system in October 2026 · National Agricultural Products Quality Management Service country of origin labeling guide image.
reference: Press release regarding the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs