Seoul city gov't to inspect '1,000 Won Bread' over excessive preservative use
Published: 23 Mar. 2026, 17:47
Updated: 23 Mar. 2026, 19:11
![Inspectors from the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s food safety unit examine bread products sold at a store. [SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/03/23/29936edd-7b87-4a5a-ab10-7684be3eebdf.jpg)
Inspectors from the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s food safety unit examine bread products sold at a store. [SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT]
The Seoul Metropolitan Government has launched a safety inspection into cheap, imported baked goods known as 1,000 Won Bread in subway stations and on online platforms.
Around 700 samples of low-cost imported bread products sold for around 70 cents on online shopping sites and in subway stations, large supermarkets, convenience stores and traditional markets will be collected and tested through Friday in a joint effort with district offices, the city government said on Monday.
The city plans to examine whether such products meet standards for key preservatives, while also conducting safety checks on food purchased directly from overseas as well as utensils and containers that come into contact with food, to strengthen overall oversight of imported food products.
As bread with long shelf lives raises concerns over excessive use of preservatives, the inspection will focus on compliance with limits on substances such as propionic acid, sodium propionate and calcium propionate, as well as the use of tar-based color additives.
If any violations are found, the city will immediately suspend sales, recall and dispose of the products and notify relevant authorities to block further distribution.
Following reports on the distribution of food products containing narcotic substances, the city will also collect and test such imported items — including candy, snacks and hemp seed oil — for drug ingredients through next month.
Starting in May, safety inspections will also be conducted on utensils and containers.
“So-called 1,000 won Bread is being consumed more and more as it is cheap and easily available at places like online malls and subway stations,” a Seoul city government official said. “We will proactively check its safety and respond swiftly if any problems are found.”
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]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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