In a startling revelation, recent data unveiled that food franchise establishments in South Korea have amassed over 3,000 violations of the Food Sanitation Act in a span of five years. This significant rise in infractions, amounting to a staggering 46.6% increase since 2020, has raised serious concerns regarding food safety standards in the nation’s restaurant industry. According to a report shared by Representative Seo Mi-hwa of the Democratic Party, affiliated with the National Assembly’s Health and Welfare Committee, the statistics from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety indicate that from 2020 to 2024, a total of 3,133 violations have been recorded across various segments of the food service sector, including chicken franchises, cafes, and burger joints.
Breaking down the figures year by year reveals an alarming trend: in 2020, there were 491 violations; this number rose to 501 in 2021, further escalating to 662 in 2022, 759 in 2023, and an estimated 720 in 2024. Notably, chicken franchises account for a significant portion of these violations, with 1,139 cases reported, representing 36.4% of the total. Following closely are cafes with 617 violations (19.7%), burger outlets with 471 (15.0%), tteokbokki shops with 330 (10.5%), pizza establishments with 267 (8.5%), and mala tang vendors with 219 (7.0%).
The data also reveals a concerning concentration of infractions among the top 20 franchise companies, which collectively contributed to 2,189 violations—approximately 70% of the total recorded. The leading offender is BBQ, a prominent chicken franchise, which has been implicated in 201 violations. It is followed by BHC with 186 violations, Mom’s Touch at 172, and Mega Coffee at 158. Other notable names include Compose Coffee, Gupne Chicken, and Lotte Ria, each with substantial numbers of infractions.
Diving deeper into the types of violations, over a third of the cases, specifically 1,158, involved breaches related to contaminants found in food items. This was followed by cases of inadequate sanitation training (968 violations), breaches of hygienic handling standards (336 violations), and failures in health examinations (216 violations). Additionally, violations of the business operator’s compliance requirements accounted for 185 cases.
In terms of administrative repercussions, a striking 88.5% of the actions taken have been relatively lenient. Most of these have resulted in fines, with 1,451 instances leading to monetary penalties, while 1,321 attracted corrective orders. Comparatively, only 167 violations led to business suspensions, and a mere 110 resulted in monetary surcharges. Alarmingly, only one case resulted in the closure of a restaurant.
In light of this troubling information, Representative Seo emphasized the critical importance of food safety and the need for rigorous adherence to sanitation standards. She stressed that the responsibility lies not only with the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and local governments but also with franchise headquarters to actively oversee and ensure the hygiene of their affiliated stores. The rising number of violations serves as a clarion call for all stakeholders in the food service industry to prioritize consumer safety and take proactive measures to uphold the highest standards of food sanitation.
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