Asia Today reported on April 23 that the police investigation into The Born Korea, headed by CEO Baek Jong Won, has been shifted to the Chungnam Police Agency due to additional complaints and case consolidation related to violations of the Agricultural Land Act.
Initiated after a petition was lodged with the Yesan Police Station on March 13, 2025, the investigation was transferred to the Chungnam Police Agency's Criminal Investigation Division on April 21 due to the influx of new complaints against Baek Jong Won and The Born Korea. The move aims to better manage the investigation given the increased workload on investigation personnel.
The probe focuses on infringements of the Agricultural Land Act's Articles 32 and 34, as well as violations of the Fair Labeling and Advertising Act, forming part of a wider range of allegations against The Born Korea, which has been entangled in several controversies recently.
Among the key issues is the improper use of a greenhouse at Baekseok Factory for unauthorized purposes, resulting in its demolition. The company also faced backlash for using imported raw materials at a facility designated as an agricultural promotion zone, leading to an apology for breaching agricultural land laws.
In addition to these violations, The Born Korea has come under scrutiny for product quality concerns, including discrepancies between advertising claims and the actual product content, prompting complaints about inflated prices and subpar quality.
A petition titled "The Born Korea, which repeatedly engages in illegal activities while above the law, and the Food and Drug Administration and local governments turning a blind eye! We demand the creation of the 'Baek Jong Won Prevention Law'" was submitted on the National Assembly's electronic petition platform on April 21, 2025.
The petition, filed by an individual known as A, condemned The Born Korea for persistent illegal activities endangering public health during local government events without facing repercussions.
The petition urged prompt legislative changes to prevent the commercialization of public events and proposed measures such as restricting law-breaking companies from participating in festivals, penalizing individuals associated with such firms, enforcing stricter penalties for Food Sanitation Act violations, ending exclusive contracts for festivals, and enhancing oversight by the Food and Drug Administration and local authorities.
The petitioner argued that unsanitary food practices and the use of industrial materials infringe the Food Sanitation Act and should be met with severe penalties, including business suspensions and legal action. The petitioner raised concerns over The Born Korea's perceived immunity to the law and called for an end to festivals turning into exclusive domains for specific companies, particularly at events funded by taxpayers where the public is unknowingly exposed to food prepared using industrial tools and pesticides.