Authorities in Seoul have launched an investigation following a Radio Free Asia Korean Service report which exposed the illegal sale of North Korean pine mushrooms in South Korean markets. The produce had been falsely labeled as Chinese, but were in fact from the DPRK, violating a trade sanction between the two Koreas since 2010.
The issue gained national attention after the RFA report was cited in media outlets such as Yonhap, SBS, YTN and others. Authorities are inspecting produce nationwide to root out any other falsely labeled mushrooms.