Home > National > Social Affairs

Fly soup? Hygiene red flags at rest stops spark concern ahead of Chuseok travel.

Published: 22 Sep. 2025, 18:20

A cricket found in udon sold at Mungyeong Service Area in August 2023, left, and a piece of thread found in gukbap (spicy rice soup) sold at Anseong Service Area in October 2023, right, are shown in the two photos provided by Rep. Jung Hee-yong from the People Power Party. [JUNG HEE-YONG]

Contaminants such as flies, crickets and pieces of thread have been found in food sold at highway rest stops across Korea in recent years, prompting calls for stricter hygiene checks ahead of the Chuseok holiday rush.

Data submitted by the Korea Expressway Corporation showed 20 violations of the Food Sanitation Act at rest stop restaurants and cafes nationwide over the past five years, from 2021 to August, according to Rep. Jung Hee-yong of the People Power Party, who sits on the National Assembly's Agriculture, Food, Rural Affairs, Oceans and Fisheries Committee, on Monday.

Of those cases, foreign objects in food accounted for nine, the most frequent violation. Other breaches included mishandling of food in four cases, failed water quality tests in two, employees not wearing sanitary caps in two and poor kitchen hygiene in one.

Examples of foreign matter included a fly found in instant noodles at the Mungyeong Service Area in July 2022, multiple solid objects in a beverage at Deogyusan Service Area in August 2022, a pill packet in a bowl of rice at Yeongcheon Service Area in November 2022, a cricket in udon at Mungyeong Service Area in August 2023 and thread in soup at Anseong Service Area in October 2023.

“With the number of highway rest stop users expected to surge during the Chuseok harvest holiday, authorities need to tighten hygiene controls for food sold there," Rep. Jung said.

This year's holiday period runs from Oct. 3 to Oct. 9, which covers National Foundation Day, Chuseok and Hangul Day.

"The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, Korea Expressway Corporation and local governments must ensure travelers can use rest stops with peace of mind during the holiday," Jung added.

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 JANG GU-SEUL [[email protected]]