According to recent news reports, South Kores found $20.8 Million worth of goods including cathode materials used in batteries, surveillance cameras and other electrronics al made in China but that were marked Made in Korea. All of these products were headed to the United States and the false marking of origina were to evade the United States tariffs on Chinese goods. Some of the goods were actually shipped to the U.S. with false lavels. The case involving the surveillance cameras were imported in parts from China and assembled in Korea but labelled as Korean made. According to reports this was to evade specific restrictions to limit techology from China for security reasons of national security and also to evade the tariffs.
South Korea is a friendly trade partner of the U.S. and it has a free trade agreement. This is why China is shipping its products to South Korea and marking them as being made there.
South Korean officials have set up a new task force to halt these efforts, according to Government officials. All violations discovered have been sent to prosecutors for legal action in South Korea.
Jeff Newman JD MBA, represents whistleblowers in tariff fraud cases concerning imported Chinese goods as well as Medicare and Medicaid fraud cases under the False Claims Act (Qui Tam), and SEC, IRS and FINCEN whistleblower programs. He can be reached at Jeff@JeffNewmanLaw.com or at 617-823-3217
