”Why a second-hand site?” Cheju Island takes legal action against illegal sale of new mandarin orange variety developed over 10 years = Korea

Authorities have requested an investigation after seedlings of Dal Komi, a new variety of mandarin orange developed by Jeju Province in South Korea over a period of more than 10 years, were illegally traded on a second-hand trading platform.
The Jeju Agricultural Technology Institute awarded four people who submitted new varieties of mandarin oranges, including "Dalkomi," to the online platform "Carrot."
On the 17th, the Jeju Agricultural Research Institute announced that it had filed a complaint on suspicion of violating the Food New Variety Protection Act and that an investigation is currently underway. Dalkomi is a mandarin orange cross between Hwanggeumhyang and Saetomi, and was produced by the Jeju Agricultural Research Institute on October 10.
It is one of the new varieties of mandarin oranges that have been developed over the past 15 years. Dalkomi began breeding in 2011, and after undergoing processes such as artificial watering, seed collection, and seedling cultivation, it is scheduled to be registered as a variety for protection by the National Seed Service in 2022.
The new varieties of mandarin oranges are only available to 28 licensed businesses, but for those that have been found to be illegally distributed, businesses with official sales licenses will be able to sell them to farmers at a price of 7,000 won.
It was confirmed that the fruit was offered for sale at 12,000 won (about 1,318 yen), about 5,000 won higher than the price listed. Ko Soo, head of the fruit tree research division at the Jeju Agricultural Technology Institute, said, "The varieties that have the right to variety protection are
The right is guaranteed under the ‘Plant New Variety Protection Act.’ Reckless illegal distribution in violation of this is an act that impedes the development of the Jeju mandarin orange industry,” he said. “Through the investigation, we will be able to see how the sellers are creating new mandarin orange varieties.”
"We need to clarify how the company acquired the saplings and ended up selling them," he said. "In the future, if businesses or individuals who have not signed a license transfer agreement sell saplings,
"Strong legal action will be taken without warning."