Busan Latest News

Sellers who have been distributing large quantities of counterfeit goods to foreign tourists and others at Busan International Market and the southern "fake" shopping district have been arrested.

On the 28th, the Trademark Special Judicial Police of the Intellectual Property Office announced that they had referred 12 people, including Mr. A (43), to the prosecution on suspicion of selling clothing, accessories, bags, etc. bearing counterfeit trademarks of famous foreign brands in the Busan area (violation of the Trademark Act).

The group is suspected of distributing large quantities of counterfeit brand-name goods at Busan International Market and shopping complexes in southern Busan. In a crackdown last year, the Trademark Police seized 7896 counterfeit goods worth approximately 258 billion won (approximately 25.8 billion won) from 13 counterfeit goods stores operated by the group.

Counterfeit goods sellers at the Gukje Market that were cracked down on this time were found to have set up secret warehouses within the stores and sold counterfeit goods mainly to foreign tourists. Secret warehouses displaying and selling counterfeit goods were confirmed in the three stores that were raided. From these stores alone, 3702 counterfeit goods with a market value of approximately 182 billion won were seized. It was found that foreign tourists, who are the main customers, came across information about the sales through social media and then visited these stores with the guidance of tour guides.

While cracking down on counterfeit goods stores in the Busan area, which is popular with foreign tourists, the Trademark Police discovered that sales outlets had moved to new commercial areas in the southern part of Busan, and conducted a large-scale crackdown in the area. As a result of the crackdown, 10 counterfeit goods stores were discovered in a residential and commercial shopping complex in the southern part of Busan. A total of 4194 counterfeit goods were seized, with the genuine value of the goods amounting to approximately 76 billion won.