- Intensive crackdown launched to curb the sale of fake luxury goods targeting international visitors -

- MOIP raids 13 stores in Busan, refers 12 suspects for indictment, and seizes 7,896 counterfeit items -

Amid the recent surge in foreign tourists to the Republic of Korea driven by the "Hallyu" (Korean Wave) boom, the Ministry of Intellectual Property (MOIP), led by Minister KIM Yong-sun, launched a major crackdown on counterfeit sales hubs targeting international visitors.

MOIP’s Trademark Police (Special Judicial Police for Trademarks) announced that, as a result of targeted investigations and enforcement activities, 12 individuals were referred to the Prosecutor’s Office with a recommendation for indictment for violations of the Trademark Act involving the sale of counterfeit luxury apparel, accessories, and handbags, which took place across Busan’s Gukje Market and residential-commercial complexes in the city's southern districts.

After detecting signs that counterfeit sales hubs in Busan were shifting from traditional markets such as Gukje Market to newly emerging commercial districts in southern Busan, the Trademark Police conducted preemptive enforcement in these areas and subsequently expanded the crackdown to include the Gukje Market. Between Sept. 11 and 12, 2025, authorities seized a total of 7,896 counterfeit items with an estimated KRW 25.8 billion in genuine market value from 13 retail locations.

<Evading Authorities: Shift to New Commercial Districts and Diversification of Counterfeit Sales Hubs>

Investigations in Busan revealed that counterfeit sellers had recently established operations within a residential-commercial complex to sell counterfeit luxury brand items. This relocation to new commercial districts was a calculated move to evade persistent enforcement pressures in traditional markets.

In response, the Trademark Police conducted a coordinated raid on Sept. 11, 2025, targeting 10 high-traffic locations within residential-commercial complexes and seizing 4,194 items (an estimated KRW 7.6 billion in genuine value). While previous enforcement efforts had limited effectiveness due to their small-scale and one-off nature, this crackdown achieved substantive results against key counterfeit sales hubs through simultaneous enforcement actions backed by compulsory execution measures.

<Exploiting Foreign Tourists: ‘Secret Stores’ within Gukje Market>

With the increase in foreign tourist traffic in Gukje Market, investigations also revealed the emergence of “secret stores” targeting international visitors. On Sept. 12, 2025, the Trademark Police raided three such stores and their hidden showrooms, seizing 3,702 items such as counterfeit luxury bags and wallets worth an estimated KRW 18.2 billion in genuine market value.

Foreign tourists reportedly obtained information about these illicit vendors and sales through social networking sites (SNS), and specialized tour guides would lead them to hidden showrooms. Authorities expressed particular concern over social media posts by international visitors displaying their counterfeit "hauls," noting that such activities could potentially undermine the global reputation and growth of K-culture.

Director General SHIN Sang-gon of the Intellectual Property Protection & International Cooperation Bureau at MOIP stated, “With the global popularity of K-pop and K-content driving a steady rise in tourism in Korea, we are committed to rooting out activities that tarnish our national image, including the sale of counterfeit items.”

Source: https://www.kipo.go.kr/en/engBultnDetail.do?board_id=kiponews&cp=1&pg=1&npp=10&catmenu=ek06_01_01&seq=1824