Hygiene violations found at 22 restaurants in Seoul during recent inspections by city
Published: 18 Aug. 2025, 18:15
Updated: 18 Aug. 2025, 20:57
![The photo shows a naengmyeon (cold noodles) restaurant in Seoul on June 17. [YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/08/18/3df4f5dc-0069-448c-b64b-4e5be3acdb65.jpg)
The photo shows a naengmyeon (cold noodles) restaurant in Seoul on June 17. [YONHAP]
The Seoul Metropolitan Government found hygiene violations at 22 restaurants and discovered dangerous levels of bacteria in popular summer foods during recent inspections, it said Monday.
The inspections revealed a range of problems. One restaurant failed to conduct mandatory health screenings, another kept unsanitary kitchen conditions, five had staff working without hygiene caps on their heads, seven left food waste containers uncovered and one operated with damaged facilities.
Tests also found contamination in seasonal dishes. One sample of mango bingsu (shaved ice dessert) contained Staphylococcus aureus — a type of bacteria that can produce toxins that cause food poisoning — while naengmyeon (cold noodles), kongguksu (silky bean noodles) from four samples showed excessive levels of E. coli.
Two coffee shop ice samples contained excessive bacteria. In some cases, the amount of E. coli exceeded permissible limits by as much as 50 times, and Staphylococcus aureus by up to three times.
The city conducted inspections in June and July at 1,985 restaurants, including 733 selling naengmyeon, kongguksu and pat (red beans) bingsu, 668 offering gimbap (seaweed rice rolls) and toast and 438 serving dishes like samgyetang (ginseng chicken soup).
The city also collected 136 food samples, including 108 of naengmyeon, kongguksu, pat bingsu and edible ice, as well as 28 of egg-based foods like gimbap and toast. Officials suspended operations at seven restaurants after tests revealed contamination beyond legal limits.
Authorities also inspected 146 restaurants located inside hotels, near campgrounds and around event venues, where summer visitors often gather.
Inspectors checked kitchens, facilities and ingredients; compliance with storage temperature rules for frozen and refrigerated products; expiration dates and labeling; and employee hygiene. They found 15 violations of the Food Sanitation Act. The city imposed fines in seven cases, issued facility improvement orders in seven others cases and revoked one license.
“We will continue to carry out hygiene inspections at restaurants and enforce strict measures against violations to prevent food poisoning,” said Yang Kwang-suk, head of the city’s Food Policy Division.
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.
BY JEONG HYE-JEONG [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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