Cross-ministry joint on-site livelihood inspection of Chuseok (추석) holiday goods prices and price gouging (September 14–22, 2026)
Source material is a Korean government announcement (in Korean).
The Ministry of the Interior and Safety (행정안전부) and other relevant ministries, together with local governments, are carrying out a cross-ministry joint on-site livelihood inspection of holiday goods price increases, price gouging, missing country-of-origin labelling and other unfair practices at traditional markets, tourist sites and local event venues nationwide from September 14 to 22, 2026.
Key facts
| Inspection period | September 14 to 22, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Places inspected | Major traditional markets, tourist sites and local event venues nationwide |
| What is checked | Excessive price increases for holiday goods, price gouging, posting of price lists and country-of-origin labelling, short-weight sales through tampered or falsified measuring instruments and the mixing of goods, price collusion between businesses, unfair price increases, violations of hygiene standards, and smishing |
| Sanctions | Under the amended Enforcement Rule of the Public Health Control Act (공중위생관리법 시행규칙), Enforcement Decree of the Tourism Promotion Act (관광진흥법 시행령) and Enforcement Rule of the Food Sanitation Act (식품위생법 시행규칙), lodging businesses, urban B&Bs for foreign tourists, hanok stay businesses and food service businesses can face suspension of business instead of a warning or corrective order even for a first violation of the obligation to post and observe posted prices |
| Participating agencies | Ministry of the Interior and Safety, Ministry of Finance and Economy, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Ministry of SMEs and Startups, Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, National Tax Service, National Police Agency, Fair Trade Commission, and local governments |
| Integrated reporting channel | Area code followed by 120, and 1330 |
| Inquiries | Local Economy Division, Ministry of the Interior and Safety (행정안전부 지역경제과) 044-205-3921 |
Last checked:
The Ministry of the Interior and Safety (행정안전부) said it will conduct a cross-ministry joint on-site livelihood inspection of major traditional markets, tourist sites and local event venues nationwide from September 14 to 22, 2026. Taking part are the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the Ministry of Finance and Economy (재정경제부), the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (문화체육관광부), the Ministry of Health and Welfare (보건복지부), the Ministry of SMEs and Startups (중소벤처기업부), the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (식품의약품안전처), the National Tax Service (국세청), the National Police Agency (경찰청), the Fair Trade Commission (공정거래위원회) and local governments. Ahead of the holiday, the joint inspection teams will focus on excessive price increases for holiday goods and price gouging aimed at tourists, and will check whether price lists are posted and country-of-origin labelling is carried out, as well as short-weight sales through tampered or falsified measuring instruments and the mixing of goods. Price collusion between businesses, unfair price increases, violations of hygiene standards, and smishing — malicious text-message fraud — are also covered. Under the amended Enforcement Rule of the Public Health Control Act (공중위생관리법 시행규칙), Enforcement Decree of the Tourism Promotion Act (관광진흥법 시행령) and Enforcement Rule of the Food Sanitation Act (식품위생법 시행규칙), lodging businesses, urban B&Bs for foreign tourists (외국인관광 도시민박업), hanok stay businesses (한옥체험업) and food service businesses can face suspension of business instead of the previous warning or corrective order even for a first violation of the obligation to post and observe posted prices. Complaints about price gouging are received through the integrated reporting channels: the area code followed by 120, or 1330.
Summaries below are factual notes based on government announcements and primary sources — not evaluations or opinions.
FAQ
When and where does the inspection take place?
From September 14 to 22, 2026, a cross-ministry joint on-site livelihood inspection covers major traditional markets, tourist sites and local event venues nationwide.
What happens if a price list is not posted?
Under the amended Enforcement Rule of the Public Health Control Act, Enforcement Decree of the Tourism Promotion Act and Enforcement Rule of the Food Sanitation Act, lodging businesses, urban B&Bs for foreign tourists, hanok stay businesses and food service businesses can face suspension of business instead of a warning or corrective order even for a first violation of the obligation to post and observe posted prices.
Where do I report price gouging?
The integrated reporting channels for price gouging are the area code followed by 120, and 1330; complaints received are handled in cooperation with local governments and the relevant ministries.