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[Alpha Biz=(Chicago) Reporter Paul Lee] Former and incumbent executives and employees of Namyang Dairy Products, who announced that Bulgaris, a yogurt product, had the effect of suppressing COVID-19 without reasonable grounds, have been put on trial.
The Criminal Affairs Department 2 (Senior Prosecutor Sohn Jung-hyun) at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office said on the 29th that it has indicted four former and incumbent executives and employees of Namyang Dairy Products, including former CEO, Park Jong-soo, former head of the anti-virus immune research institute, and two current directors, and Namyang Dairy Products without detention on charges of violating the Food Labeling and Advertising Act.
They are suspected of advertising Bulgaris products to be effective in preventing and treating diseases such as COVID-19 through an academic symposium attended by reporters in April 2021.
Namyang Dairy announced at a symposium titled "Development of Anti-Virus Food in the Corona Era" that it has confirmed the effect of Bulgaris products reducing COVID-19 by 77.8% and distributed related data.
However, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention countered that it was difficult to predict the effect because it was not a study on the human body, and a boycott of Namyang Dairy products took place among consumers. The police investigation began with the accusation of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety.
Prosecutors judged that Namyang Dairy knew internally that it was difficult to conclude that the contents of the study have antiviral and coronavirus-reducing effects because they are only simple cell-level experiments that have not undergone clinical trials, but actually made "advertisements" as if they were effective through an academic symposium.
The Food Labeling Advertising Act prohibits labeling or advertising that may be recognized as effective in the prevention and treatment of diseases.
The prosecution said, "We will do our best to ensure that strict punishment commensurate with the crime is carried out."
AlphaBIZ 폴 리(hoondork1977@alphabiz.co.kr)
