Namyang Dairy Products' Fine of KRW 50 Million for Promoting 'Prevention of COVID-19 in Bulgaria'

Fines have been issued to Namyang Dairy Corporation, which is accused of falsely promoting "Bulgaris" as if it is effective in preventing COVID-19, and former and current executives and employees who led it.

The Seoul Central District Court today (7th) fined Namyang Dairy Corporation 50 million won for violating the law on labeling and advertising of food products.

In addition, four former and current executives and employees of Namyang Dairy Products, including former CEO Lee Kwang-beom, were fined KRW 60 million.

The court pointed out that they distributed press releases that had meaningless or intentionally omitted content and knew that they would be published as they intended.

As such, I thought it was correct to believe that distributing the press release advertised Vulgaris as a product that was effective in preventing COVID-19.

At the same time, the court argued that media companies made articles without verifying them, pointing out that they were guilty of blaming the media and denying their charges.

Namyang Dairy's former CEO Lee and others are accused of promoting it by holding an academic debate in 2021, presenting the research results as if it is effective in preventing the coronavirus in Bulgaria, and distributing press releases.