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Theborn Korea CEO Paik Jong-won cleared of falsely labeling ingredient origins

Published: 10 Nov. 2025, 21:40

Theborn Korea CEO Paik Jong-won gives a presentation to buyers at The Shilla Seoul Hotel in central Seoul on Sept. 3. [THEBORN KOREA]

Paik Jong-won, CEO of Theborn Korea, has been cleared of allegations that the company falsely labeled the origin of ingredients used in some of its food products.

According to police on Monday, the Gangnam Police Precinct decided at the end of October not to refer Paik to prosecutors, determining there was insufficient evidence to charge him with violating the Act on Labeling and Advertising of Foods. However, the company itself and two staff members have been indicted without detention on the same charge.

The investigation began in March after complaints were filed alleging that Theborn Korea had misleadingly promoted some of its products — such as deopjuk (a thick porridge) and “chewy sweet potato bread” — in a way that falsely gave the impression the ingredients were domestically sourced. In September, Paik was questioned for over five hours as a suspect.

Four additional complaints, including allegations that the company used industrial-grade metal cooking tools and sprayed apple juice from pesticide containers during a barbecue event, were dismissed. Police found no evidence of violations of food sanitation laws and closed the preliminary inquiries without opening formal cases.

“We’ve completed a comprehensive review and made necessary improvements to company operations, including the issues raised in this investigation," said a Theborn Korea official. "We are doing everything we can to prevent a recurrence.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY KIM JI-HYE [[email protected]]