Trademark Police Uncover Four Counterfeit Goods Sellers at Seomun Market

The Trademark Special Judicial Police of the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) under Commissioner Kim Wan-gi conducted a crackdown on counterfeit goods in the Seomun Market area of Daegu from September 10 to 11 2024. As a result four individuals including a 64-year-old seller identified as A were charged without detention for violating the Trademark Act. The authorities also seized over 1100 counterfeit items including fake L-brand bags with an estimated market value of 2.1 billion KRW.

Trademark Police Seize Over 1100 Counterfeit Goods at Seomun Market Four Sellers Charged

Seomun Market located in Daegu—a hub of the textile and fashion industry—is the largest traditional market in the Yeongnam region. It is particularly well-known for its concentration of fashion stores selling clothing and bags in a single shopping complex attracting many visitors seeking affordable fashion products.

Trademark police identified that some merchants were taking advantage of the market’s popularity by selling low-cost counterfeit goods that illegally used well-known trademarks. To combat this the authorities initiated a focused crackdown.

During the operation several clever tactics used by counterfeit sellers were uncovered. Many stores operated without signage to avoid detection while others used curtains to conceal the counterfeit goods from view preventing passersby from seeing the merchandise inside.

The operation resulted in the indictment of four sellers for violating the Trademark Act. In addition 1100 counterfeit items including imitation L-brand bags valued at 2.1 billion KRW in genuine products were seized.

Trademark Police to Expand Collaborative Crackdown Model Nationwide

Since February 2024 KIPO’s Trademark Police have partnered with the Seoul Metropolitan Government Jung-gu District Office and Seoul Jungbu Police Station to form the “Saebit Market Counterfeit Goods Investigation Council” a model that links investigations with administrative actions.

Moving forward this collaborative model will be expanded to other well-known traditional markets across the country including Seomun Market in Daegu and Gukje Market in Busan. The aim is to strengthen enforcement and improve Koreas international reputation in the domestic market.

Park Joo-yeon head of the Trademark Special Judicial Police at KIPO stated “We will continue working closely with local governments to carry out crackdowns on counterfeit goods in traditional markets which are popular destinations for both domestic and international tourists.”

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