Food and drug safety ministry brings AI false-advertising lessons to seniors

The food and drug safety ministry said that Commissioner Oh Yu-kyung led a safety class for people aged 65 and older, focusing on AI-enabled false health advertisements and sales tactics.

The ministry has run the outreach program since 2015 to provide food and drug safety information and prevent accidents among groups with limited access to information, including older adults and multicultural families. Through 2025, it held 1,263 sessions for 64,905 people.

At the Cheongyang County Senior Welfare Center, Oh used cases of fake AI advertisements and misleading health information to explain how participants could identify advertisements impersonating doctors or experts. She also described sales tactics involving free performances or household goods used to sell health functional foods and medical devices at high prices.

The session covered checking certification marks and labels on health functional foods, as well as precautions when taking them with medicines. Oh stressed that such products may support health maintenance but are not medicines that prevent or treat disease. Participants also scanned FoodQR codes on food labels to look up ingredients, nutritional content and allergen information, and received guidance on avoiding harm from malicious QR codes.

"False health information using AI and advertisements impersonating experts have been spreading rapidly, and older people need to take particular care," Oh said. "When buying health functional foods or medical devices, do not rely only on promotional advertising. Check product labels and use the ministry's safety information to adopt sound consumer habits."

The ministry said it plans to expand tailored food and drug safety education for older adults in rural and fishing communities and for multicultural families.