Prosecutors Raid McDonald's Korea Over 'Hamburger Disease' Case

[Asia Economy Reporter Baek Kyunghwan] The prosecution conducted a search and seizure of McDonald's Korea in connection with suspicions that eating a hamburger containing undercooked meat patties caused 'Hamburger Disease' (Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome, HUS).

On the 3rd, the Criminal Division 2 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Kim Hyungsoo) sent investigators to McDonald's Korea office in Jongno-gu, Seoul, to secure internal documents such as food ingredient management ledgers.

This search and seizure was carried out following a complaint filed last January by civic groups including 'Mothers Who Do Politics' against McDonald's Korea and the patty supplier for violations of the Food Sanitation Act and professional negligence causing injury.

McDonald's Korea has been accused of continuing to sell hamburgers despite being informed in July 2016 that some stores still had patties contaminated with enterohemorrhagic E. coli. Two months later, in September, a parent filed a complaint in July of the following year against McDonald's Korea for violating the Food Sanitation Act after their child was diagnosed with kidney damage from contracting Hamburger Disease after eating an undercooked McDonald's hamburger.

The prosecution that investigated the case at the time dismissed it in February 2018, citing insufficient evidence to prove McDonald's responsibility.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.