Seoul to introduce a price labeling system for a fixed amount of food at Gwangjang Market

Gwangjang Market in Jung-gu, Seoul, is crowded with tourists and residents. Yonhap News Agency

The Seoul Metropolitan Government has come up with several measures to prevent overcharging at Gwangjang Market after a restaurant in the traditional market sold a plate of assorted jeon, or Korean-style pancake, at 15,000 won, which sparked a heated controversy over the unreasonable prices there. If the restaurants in the market do not comply with the system, Seoul will impose stronger sanctions, such as a business suspension order.

On November 3, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced that it will introduce a price labeling system for a fixed amount of food at Gwangjang Market in Jong-no to provide quantitative information on food, such as weight, next to food prices on the menu. The move comes after a series of recent criticisms that the amount of food sold at the market is too small compared to the prices.

Seoul is also considering making restaurants place "food mock-ups" so people can see what and how much they will get when they order a specific food.

Seoul plans to introduce the price labeling system and place food mock-ups in the restaurants gradually from the first half of next year after consulting with Jongno-gu, the Merchants Association and the Food Stall Owners Association of Gwangjang Traditional Market this month.

※This article has undergone review by a professional translator after being translated by an AI translation tool.