{
  "id": 12568622,
  "title": "South Korea launches ‘K-brand’ scheme to fight counterfeits",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/07/south-korea-launches-k-brand-scheme-to-fight-counterfeits-12568622",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-10-07T06:23:08.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/business/2026/10/07/south-korea-launches-k-brand-scheme-to-fight-counterfeits"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "South Korea has unveiled a new authentication system known as the \"K-Brand Government Certification System\" to combat the surge in counterfeit products flooding the market. The initiative, spearheaded by President Lee Jae Myung, aims to safeguard the nation's rapidly expanding cultural exports, including K-pop, K-dramas, and K-beauty items.\n\nWith content exports reaching a record US$14.9 billion last year, overtaking the sales of computers and home appliances, the \"Korean Wave,\" or Hallyu, has gained unprecedented traction globally. Consequently, the popularity of K-food and K-beauty products has also surged, with agricultural and fisheries exports hitting a record US$12.4 billion and cosmetics exports soaring to US$11.4 billion.\n\nUnder the new K-Brand system, consumers can now verify a product's authenticity by scanning a QR code attached to it using their mobile phones. The government pledges a swift response to counterfeit products overseas, no longer leaving Korean companies to combat the issue alone.\n\nThirty-one companies, comprising prominent brands like Samyang Foods, the creator of the Buldak spicy chicken ramen, and Amorepacific, South Korea's leading cosmetics company, have already joined the scheme. According to OECD data from 2024, the global market for counterfeit \"K-brand\" products amounted to approximately ₩11 trillion (US$8.2 billion).\n\nThe influx of global interest in all things Korean has also boosted tourism, with foreign visitors numbering a record 18.94 million in the previous year.",
  "summary": "The K-Brand Government Certification System lets consumers check product authenticity by scanning a QR code with their mobile phones.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 5,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "South Korea launches ‘K-brand’ scheme to fight counterfeits",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/07/south-korea-launches-k-brand-scheme-to-fight-counterfeits",
        "published": "2026-10-07T06:23:08.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Channel News Asia",
        "title": "South Korea launches 'K-brand' scheme to fight counterfeits",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/07/south-korea-launches-k-brand-scheme-to-fight-counterfeits-12569430",
        "published": "2026-10-07T06:41:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Malay Mail",
        "title": "Is your K-beauty or K-food real? South Korea’s new QR system will tell you",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/07/is-your-k-beauty-or-k-food-real-south-koreas-new-qr-system-will-tell",
        "published": "2026-10-07T06:52:12.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Winnipeg Free Press",
        "title": "South Korea signals military exemption cuts for athletes after Asian Games backlash",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/07/south-korea-signals-military-exemption-cuts-for-athletes-after-asian",
        "published": "2026-10-07T07:07:58.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}