The South Korean government said Wednesday that it will conduct a month-long campaign to detect labeling violations of imported agricultural goods before the Lunar New Year.

The nationwide effort is aimed at detecting imports that are labeled and packaged as locally grown products. The false labels distort the domestic market and harm South Korean farmers, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry said.

ew Year's Day, which falls on Feb. 18 this year, is a major traditional holiday celebrated with family gatherings and festive food. Each holiday season, the demand for domestic agricultural products spikes as Koreans prepare special dishes.

South Korea is a major importer of agricultural goods, but due to the price difference between foreign and locally grown produce, there have been persistent labeling violations. Locally grown produce is usually much more expensive and is sought after by consumers.

Violators found selling imports as locally grown produce could be sentenced to up to seven years in prison or fined 100 million won (US$106,600), the ministry said.

"Consumers should always check the origin label, and if they are uncertain they should contact the National Agricultural Products Quality Management Service," said a ministry official.

In 2006, the government detected a total of 585 labeling violations, with 280 cases being referred for criminal investigation. Most violations last year involved imported pork, beef and chili powder.