Whiskey now only comes with an RFID tag attached

Nightclubs and bars are now only permitted to sell whiskey with radio frequency identification technology (RFID) tags attached as the National Tax Service and the whiskey industry aim to root out counterfeit brand whiskey from the market. Any store that violates the new rules will be fined 2 million won ($1,895).

According to the NTS and the industry yesterday, 35,000 entertainment venues purchasing whiskey across the country, including hostess bars and nightclubs, must now be able to verify the authenticity of imported whiskey using the tags.

When a customer asks to verify the authenticity of whiskey, stores must show the tags, which can be read with smartphones or credit card machines.

Stores without the equipment will be fined 2 million won and be subject to tax investigations.

The NTS has been expanding the use of RFID tags since 2010 in its bid to eradicate illegal trading of liquor. Since last October, it mandated that RFID tags be attached to all whiskeys distributed in the domestic market.

From this month, with the end of the three-month grace period, the NTS is set to go on an intensive crackdown at venues serving alcohol.