Nearly 85 pct of counterfeit goods come from China: data

Nearly 85 percent of the counterfeit goods seized by South Korean customs authorities in the first half of this year originated from China, data showed Thursday. The value of these fake goods, uncovered between January and June, totaled 93.4 billion won (US$68.6 million), with 83.6 percent, or 78.1 billion won, from China, according to the data by the Korea Customs Service submitted to the National Assembly. In comparison, 95.4 percent of all counterfeit goods seized last year, valued at 354.1 billion won, also came from China. Among the forged brands in the first half, French luxury brand Chanel topped the list, with counterfeit items worth 48.7 billion won, accounting for 52.1 percent of the total. Goyard followed with 7.5 billion won, while Louis Vuitton and Gucci were also among the top brands targeted. By item, bags were the most frequently counterfeited, with a total value of 65.3 billion won, or 69.9 percent, followed by garments at 19.6 billion won, or 21 percent. Source: Yonhap News Agency