Reason for proposal and main contents

The current law provides for a salt history tracing system based solely on registration in order to ensure safety and transparency by providing consumers with information concerning salt traceability. 

However, as the salt history tracing system is operated as a registration-based system only, rather than as a mandatory labeling system, sea salt without a tracing label is in circulation. There are also widespread concerns about the safety of sea salt due to the so-called “bag replacement” practices of hiding the production and distribution history of salt products and of mixing local salt with Chinese products. Furthermore, concerns are widespread as contaminated water is still being discharged from Fukushima, Japan.

In addition, it has been pointed out that it is necessary to eradicate unfair labor practices by providing consumers with the history of salt producers that have illegally exploited salt farm workers. 

Therefore, by switching the salt history tracing system - currently operated as a registration system - to a mandatory system, the bill aims to provide consumers with transparent information on salt history in order to secure consumer safety and contribute to protecting the rights of salt farm employees (Article 27 (2) of the draft).