![[단독] ‘It will be delivered by courier’… Commemorative wine from major private universities is being sold illegally through non-face-to-face channels.](https://www.kpinews.kr/data/upi/image/2024/11/05/p1065595398237559_218_thum.jpg "[단독] ‘It will be delivered by courier’… Commemorative wine from major private universities is being sold illegally through non-face-to-face channels.")
Sales of Hite Jinro, Narasella, Shindong Wine, Catholic, Aju, and Kookmin University wines
If you order by phone or internet, the importer will send it via courier.
National Tax Service liquor notice bans mail-order sales other than traditional liquor
National Tax Service: “Non-face-to-face payments are illegal and may result in fines”
It was confirmed that major wine importers such as Hite Jinro, Naracella, and Shindong Wine illegally sell commemorative wines from major private universities such as Kookmin University, Catholic University, and Ajou University by courier. Non-face-to-face sales of alcoholic beverages other than traditional liquor are prohibited.
According to KPI News coverage on the 5th, commemorative wines from three private universities in the metropolitan area and two private universities in regional areas are being sold via courier service through the Internet, e-mail, and cyber shopping malls. If a consumer pays by bank transfer or credit card, the wine importer delivers the wine without adult verification.
Illegal delivery of Catholic, Aju, and Kookmin University commemorative wines
Under current law, you must visit the store in person at least once to purchase alcohol. If a liquor seller violates this and sells through non-face-to-face delivery, he or she will be subject to a fine of up to 20 million won. This is because alcohol retail and recreational sales licensees can only sell face-to-face at approved locations.
At the end of last month, the reporter actually purchased commemorative wines from Kookmin University, Catholic University, and Ajou University through mail order.
Kookmin University commemorative wine is sold as a ‘70th Anniversary Commemorative Wine Set’ on the Kookmin University Development Fund website. The wine imported by Shindong Wine costs between 27,000 won and 72,000 won per bottle. You can purchase it by downloading and filling out the ‘Wine Application Form’ in Korean and sending it to the email address in charge of the Kookmin University Development Fund. On the website, there is a notice that says, “Delivery costs are separate and it is delivered safely in airbag packaging.”
When the reporter contacted the phone number of the ‘sales company (Shindong Wine Co., Ltd.)’ displayed on the website, the connection was made to ‘Shindong Wine Hannam Branch’. This is a store directly managed by Shindong Wine. Regarding wine delivery, a store official explained, “Kookmin University commemorative wine is shipped directly from Shindong Wine Hannam branch.”
An official from the external cooperation team at Kookmin University said, “You should contact Shindong Wine regarding the sale of commemorative wine.” The wine purchase page says, “A portion of the wine purchase will be donated to the development fund.”
‘Ajou University 50th Anniversary Commemorative Wine’ is sold at the ‘Ajurang Store’ online shopping mall operated by the Ajou University Alumni Association. There are about 10 types of commemorative wines priced between 10,000 and 150,000 won.
Select a commemorative wine, select a shopping bag, wine neck tag, and case, then click the ‘Purchase’ button to go to the payment window. Enter your delivery address and select a payment method to complete your order.
It is highly likely that this will be a violation of the ‘Notice on Delegation of Orders on Mail Order of Alcoholic Beverages’. This is because it stipulates that unauthorized mail-order retailers must not display ‘functions such as shopping bags and shopping carts that may mislead consumers into thinking that mainstream e-commerce is possible.’
The Ajurang Store website states that ‘free shipping is available within Ajou University campuses only.’ In response to a reporter’s inquiry, the customer center explained, “You can receive it by courier even outside of campus. If you pay a separate delivery fee of 4,000 won, Narasela will send the commemorative wine by courier directly.”
The address of the Aju Wine that was actually delivered was the ‘Narasella Baeksa Logistics Center’ in Baeksa-myeon, Icheon-si, Gyeonggi-do.
Reply: Delivery available from 4 Hyundai Department Store stores
The Catholic University of Korea’s external cooperation team is providing guidance on how to purchase wine through a post titled ‘Guide to purchasing wine commemorating the 169th anniversary of the Catholic University of Korea’ on the school website. The importer is Hite Jinro. There are photos of 10 types of commemorative wines imported by Hite Jinro, priced between 10,000 and 190,000 won, along with detailed product names, places of origin, and varieties.
There are 7 places to purchase commemorative wine. Among the places of purchase, Hyundai Department Store has △Wine Works at Mokdong Branch △Wine Corner at Pangyo Branch △The Hyundai Seoul Wineworks △Wine Corner at Jungdong Branch. The remaining places of purchase are the Shinsegae Department Store main branch wine house, SSG Cheongdam branch wine corner, and SSG Dogok branch wine corner. Regarding delivery, it says, “Department store delivery is free for purchases over 50,000 won, and courier delivery costs 5,000 won separately.”
When the reporter directly asked the 7 purchasing stores whether commemorative wine could be delivered by courier after non-face-to-face payment, all 4 Hyundai Department Store stores responded that it was possible. Regarding the purchase of commemorative wine delivered by courier, a Mokdong branch Wineworks representative said, “If you deposit money into the Mokdong branch account, payment will be made separately at the store. If you tell us the wine you want to order and your address via text, we will send it directly via department store delivery.”
After the call, the person in charge sent the reporter a text message with an image of a copy of the ‘Hanmoo Shopping Mokdong Branch’ bankbook. After actually depositing the money, the commemorative wine arrived via delivery from Hyundai Department Store that evening.
On the other hand, three Shinsegae Department Store purchasers responded, “Visiting the store is essential.”
Ulsan University and Yeungnam University also sell commemorative wine in a similar manner. On the University of Ulsan Development Fund website, photos, product names, and prices of eight types of ‘talent development scholarship fund fundraising wine’ are listed. Yeungnam University is also selling two types of Yeungnam University commemorative wine through the development fund website.
An official from the National Tax Service’s consumption tax department said, “It is illegal to sell alcoholic beverages, excluding traditional liquor, through non-face-to-face payment via the Internet or email,” and added, “We will investigate the matter and if it is determined to be illegal, a fine may be imposed.”
KPI News / Reporter Yoo Tae-young [email protected]
[저작권자ⓒ KPI뉴스. 무단전재-재배포 금지]
