Rotten rice rolls? Suspected food poisoning cases surge after visitors eat gimbap at North Jeolla festival.

About 260 festivalgoers reported diarrhea, fever and other symptoms, while health authorities investigate the source.

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A researcher conducts a bacterial culture test for food poisoning at the institute in Suwon, Gyeonggi, on April 16.
A researcher conducts a bacterial culture test for food poisoning at an institute in Suwon, Gyeonggi, on April 16.

Some 260 visitors to a local festival in North Jeolla reported symptoms of food poisoning after eating gimbap (seaweed rice rolls) sold at the event, according to municipal and provincial authorities on Thursday.

Reports of diarrhea, fever and other suspected food poisoning symptoms have mounted among visitors who ate gimbap at the 28th Gimje Horizon Festival. The event ran from Oct. 1 to Monday.

About five visitors first reported symptoms of food poisoning on Monday. The number of reports later surged to about 260 as of 1 p.m. Thursday — three days after the festival ended.

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A review of reports by Gimje city officials found that gimbap was the most commonly consumed food among those who reported symptoms. However, authorities have yet to determine whether the gimbap was the direct cause of the suspected food poisoning.

The number of suspected cases could rise as more festivalgoers continue to report similar symptoms.

Gimje officials are tracking suspected cases and assessing the scale of the outbreak. Health authorities plan to launch an epidemiological investigation to identify the source and cause.


BY HAN YOUNG-HYE [[email protected]]

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.

illness gimje gimbap food poisoning social affairs korea north jeolla

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