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Soup product endorsed by chef Lee Yeon-bok pulled from shelves due to bacteria levels

Published: 16 Jul. 2025, 14:13

Chinese cuisine chef Lee Yeon-bok, left, and the Lee Yeon-bok’s Bokjumoni Korean Beef and Cabbage Soup product that was pulled by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety on July 16 [NEWS1/MINISTRY OF FOOD AND DRUG SAFETY]

A ready-to-eat meal endorsed by celebrity chef Lee Yeon-bok has been yanked from shelves after testing revealed levels over the legal limit for E. coli bacteria, Korea’s food safety authorities said Wednesday.

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety ordered a sales suspension and recall of Lee Yeon-bok’s Bokjumoni Korean Beef and Cabbage Soup after the product failed safety inspections for total bacterial count and E. coli levels.

The soup, sold in 800-gram (28 ounce) packages, was manufactured by NolDa Food, a Namyangju-based processor, and distributed by Deomokran, a specialized distributor also based in Namyangju, Gyeonggi. The product carries an expiration date of July 7, 2026.

Officials in Namyangju are now overseeing the recall and suspension. The ministry advised consumers who purchased the soup to return it to the distributor for a refund or exchange. Retailers have been instructed to halt sales and send the product back to the designated recall handler.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY JEONG HYE-JEONG [[email protected]]