"Will Give 200,000 Won for Medicine, So Let's Move On" Dongtae Goni Repeats... 'Food Reuse' Controversy Fueling Restaurant Distrust

Suspicions of Reusing Pollock Roe in Dongtae-tang Soup Surface Ten Days After Kakdugi Reuse Incident
Inspections Happen but Lack of Photo Evidence Leads to No Penalties
Consumers' Distrust in Restaurant Food Grows
Experts Call for Active Consumer Complaints and Effective Inspections

The kitchen scene of the restaurant under controversy for reusing Gon-yi (left) and the receipt attached by victim A (right). Photo by JTBC News (left), Photo by Bobae Dream (right)

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Choyoung] Recently, a restaurant in Busan sparked national outrage after reusing radish kimchi (kkakdugi) left by customers. Now, suspicions have arisen that a pollock stew restaurant reused gonis, a food ingredient, causing further controversy. As suspicions of food reuse continue to surface, concerns are growing that the practice of 'food reuse,' which has become customary in some restaurants, is increasing public distrust in restaurant food.

On the 17th, an online community called 'Bobae Dream' posted a message titled "Notice of running a business with food waste near Busan New Port." According to the author, Mr. A, who visited a pollock stew restaurant with a friend, ordered pollock stew with added gonis. Recalling a recently exposed case of food reuse at another restaurant, Mr. A was curious about how the restaurant staff prepared the food and watched the kitchen.

Feeling reassured by the sight of various ingredients and side dishes being stored cleanly, Mr. A witnessed a restaurant employee putting pollock stew left uneaten by another customer into a large pot. When Mr. A confronted the employee, asking, "Are you reheating the food?" the employee reportedly replied, "I boiled it to feed the dog," adding, "I am a day laborer part-timer, not the owner."

After Mr. A informed the owner of this fact, the employee later called Mr. A, saying, "Didn't I serve it after boiling it thoroughly?" and "The gonis was frozen, so it took time to thaw before adding it. It is not spoiled food. I'll give you 200,000 won for medicine expenses, so let's drop it," which further fueled the controversy.

In particular, a netizen who claimed to have had a similar experience at this restaurant two years ago appeared, raising suspicions that the restaurant has been consistently reusing food. A netizen who visited the restaurant about two years ago said, "I asked because the pollock stew tasted spoiled, and they said, 'It seems to have gone bad because it was boiled early in the morning,'" expressing frustration, "Are they still running the business like that?"

Scene of leftover food reuse captured in BJ Pai's video. The employee on the left is putting leftover kkakdugi from a customer into a side dish container, and the employee on the right is scooping kkakdugi from the container into a new bowl. Photo by AfreecaTV BJ Pai broadcast screen capture

Under the Food Sanitation Act, reusing food is clearly illegal. However, certain items such as lettuce, perilla leaves, some fruits, and nuts, which retain their original form and pose no hygiene issues, are permitted for reuse. If food reuse is detected, restaurant owners may face administrative suspension of business for 15 days, imprisonment for up to three years, or fines up to 30 million won.

Although strengthened laws banning food reuse entirely have been in effect since July 2009, some restaurants still treat food reuse as a customary practice, raising growing concerns about hygiene. Especially with recent cases of COVID-19 infection caused by saliva during meals, worries about food reuse are higher than ever. Amid these circumstances, repeated detections of food reuse have led to public distrust in restaurant food.

Mr. Park, a person in their 20s who frequently visits restaurants near universities, said, "If the kitchen is not open, you have to somewhat accept the possibility of food reuse." He added, "I thought hygiene awareness in restaurants would have improved somewhat due to COVID-19, but I was shocked when I saw dumplings eaten by another customer being added to freshly boiled ramen. Since then, I only visit places with open kitchens."

There have also been cases where customers witnessed food reuse while picking up takeout orders. Ms. Kim, a 20-something office worker, said, "I went to pick up jokbal (pig's trotters) to-go and saw the staff take leftover chives from another table and put them directly into a new delivery container in the kitchen." She added, "The restaurant staff apologized immediately, but since then, I hesitate to buy food outside."

In response to this situation, local governments are conducting various campaigns and introducing certification systems to improve hygiene awareness among staff. However, cases of administrative sanctions for violating related laws have not significantly decreased.

According to data provided by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, from 2015 to the first half of 2020, a total of 183,371 administrative sanctions were imposed on general restaurants, food manufacturing and processing and sales businesses, and cafeterias for violations of the Food Sanitation Act.

By year, the numbers were △34,173 cases in 2015 △33,514 in 2016 △33,393 in 2017 △32,858 in 2018 △35,593 in 2019, with 13,840 cases detected in just the first half of 2020.

Looking at violation types, the category 'Operator compliance violations,' which includes food reuse cases, accounted for the highest number at 46,833 cases, followed by △Other reasons such as loss or closure 30,965 cases △Failure to complete hygiene education 27,585 cases △Failure to conduct health examinations 16,968 cases △Other reasons related to business permits 16,888 cases △Violation of hygienic handling standards 12,686 cases △Violation of standards and specifications 11,903 cases △Violation of facility standards 9,382 cases △Violation of labeling and advertising 5,197 cases.

Some argue that inspections related to food reuse are not conducted regularly, making it difficult for restaurant staff to maintain vigilance. Inspections usually occur only when complaints are filed against specific restaurants, and without direct evidence such as photos, punishment is difficult, so most restaurants face no sanctions.

Even if closed-circuit television (CCTV) is installed, if the restaurant owner refuses to disclose footage, local government officials have no way to forcibly verify it. Ultimately, even when reports are made, inspections are limited to checking the storage conditions of ingredients.

Experts emphasize the need for active complaints from customers and improvements in enforcement, which currently have questionable effectiveness. Professor Lee Eunhee of Inha University's Department of Consumer Studies said, "The best way is to create an atmosphere where consumers can act as watchdogs." She suggested, "If a problem occurs, leave direct evidence such as photos, and if photos cannot be taken, record specific situations based on the five Ws and one H to ensure credibility."

Professor Lee added, "It is questionable whether inspections by district office hygiene departments are truly effective. The most effective method is to check immediately how leftover food is handled right after lunch or dinner, but due to limited government personnel, this is not being implemented, making detection practically difficult."

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