Gwangju Metropolitan City to Conduct Focused Inspections of Excessively Packaged Holiday Gift Sets; Administrative Measures to Follow for Violations

【Financial News Jeonnam-Gwangju = Reporter Hwang Tae-jong】 Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City (Gwangju Metropolitan City) will conduct focused inspections at five major department stores and large supermarkets in the Gwangju area to check excessive packaging of holiday gift sets and the proper use of recycling-separation labels.
 The inspections are intended to prevent resource waste caused by excessive packaging and promote proper recycling as demand for gift sets—including health functional foods, alcoholic beverages, cosmetics, and primary food products such as meat and dried yellow corvina—is expected to surge ahead of Chuseok.
 Jeong Mi-gyeong, head of Gwangju Metropolitan City's Resource Circulation Division, explained the background, saying, "As consumption of gift sets increases during the Chuseok holiday, it is important to reduce resource waste and the amount of waste generated by excessive packaging."
 About 10 officials from Gwangju Metropolitan City, five local district offices in the Gwangju area, and Korea Environment Corporation (K-eco) will take part in the inspections. They will check whether packaging-space ratios are no more than 10–35%, depending on the product category, and whether packaging is limited to no more than one or two layers, depending on the category. They will also examine the placement of mandatory recycling-separation labels, the use of appropriate label designs, compliance with minimum label-size requirements, and whether the labels have received the required approval.
 Based on the inspection results, Gwangju Metropolitan City plans to take administrative measures against excessive packaging and improper recycling-separation labels. Products suspected of excessive packaging will first be subject to orders requiring manufacturers, importers, and others to undergo packaging inspections by specialized institutions. If they fail to comply with the inspection order or violate packaging standards, the relevant local district office will impose a fine of up to 3 million won under applicable laws and regulations.
 Local district offices will also impose fines of up to 3 million won when recycling-separation labels are omitted or falsely displayed. Violations by businesses based in other regions will be reported to the relevant local governments.
 Jeong Mi-gyeong, head of the Resource Circulation Division, said, "Alongside voluntary efforts by manufacturers and distributors to reduce packaging materials, I hope citizens will also actively participate in eco-friendly consumption and proper recycling."

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