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Yeosu fines 28 restaurants for hygiene violations after complaints about rude service, unsanitary practices

Published: 08 Sep. 2025, 18:38

A Yeosu city official conducts a hygiene inspection at a restaurant in Yeosu, South Jeolla. [YEOSU CITY OFFICE]

A total of 28 restaurants in Yeosu, South Jeolla, have been fined for failing to comply with hygiene regulations following a citywide inspection prompted by recent complaints of unfriendliness and unsanitary practices.

According to the city government on Monday, inspectors carried out the first round of checks on 3,820 restaurants from Aug. 11 to 14. Of those, 1,318 were found to be noncompliant and were issued improvement orders.

During a second round of inspections, conducted over eight days starting Aug. 27, some establishments were still found in violation. These included 17 restaurants that failed to submit health check certificates, seven where staff were not wearing sanitary uniforms, and four with other hygiene problems. The offending businesses were fined hundreds of thousands of won for failing to follow the orders.

The Yeosu city government said it will use the inspections as a springboard to strengthen food safety management while also providing support measures for local businesses. Plans include designating “solo dining” restaurants and promoting one-person tables to accommodate individual travelers, alongside public campaigns encouraging friendlier and cleaner dining practices.

The city also intends to introduce a graded management system to more strictly monitor restaurants with repeated complaints of poor hygiene or unfriendliness.

“Our priority is to ensure both visitors and residents can enjoy a safe and hygienic dining environment,” a city official said. “We will work closely with business owners to raise sanitation standards and elevate Yeosu’s food culture to the next level.”

The inspections follow a series of controversies in Yeosu’s restaurant and hospitality industry. One well-known eatery sparked outrage after telling a solo YouTuber customer to “hurry up and eat,” while a luxury resort hotel faced criticism for providing towels labeled “rag.”

Although the industry held a pledge ceremony on Aug. 7 to improve service and sanitation, another restaurant was caught reusing leftover side dishes the very next day, fueling public backlash.

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 HAN YOUNG-HYE [[email protected]]