Controversy Over Defective Ingredients in 'Myeongjang Kimchi'... All Kimchi-Making Recipe YouTube and SNS Channels Closed

Hansung Food switches YouTube and Facebook to private
Controversy over videos showing handling of spoiled radish and napa cabbage
CEO Kim Sunja: "We will make painstaking efforts"

As of the 24th, the 'Hansung Food' Facebook and other social network service (SNS) accounts are inaccessible (left), along with substandard ingredients reportedly used by one of Hansung Food's subsidiaries, sparking controversy. / Photo by Facebook, MBC Broadcast Capture

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Ju-hyung] As controversy grows over the fact that a subsidiary of the comprehensive food company 'Han Sung Food' manufactured kimchi using substandard ingredients, it has been revealed that the company's YouTube channel and social media service (SNS) accounts have been deleted or set to private. Han Sung Food had previously shared kimchi-making methods under the name of CEO Kim Soon-ja, a "Kimchi Master."

Han Sung Food's activities on SNS platforms such as YouTube and Facebook were suspended starting from the 23rd. Since that day, various SNS accounts including Facebook and blogs have been modified so that general users cannot access them.

The YouTube channel where videos of CEO Kim making kimchi were uploaded also appears to have been closed. When accessing this channel, a message stating "This channel does not exist" appears.

The only accessible Instagram account still allows viewing posts, but all comment functions have been disabled. The most recent post, dated the 17th, features images related to white kimchi along with phrases such as "Introducing crispy and refreshing white kimchi. Kim Soon-ja Master’s white kimchi recipe, food pairings that go well with white kimchi."

As of the 24th, the comment function is disabled on Hanseong Food's Instagram / Photo by Instagram capture

Earlier, on the 22nd, MBC released footage showing workers at a kimchi factory in Jincheon, Chungbuk, operated by a subsidiary of Han Sung Food, handling substandard ingredients such as moldy radishes and discolored napa cabbage.

The footage was reportedly recorded multiple times by a whistleblower from last October to January of this year. In the video, the napa cabbage leaves appear discolored, and the radishes show mold spots resembling stains. Workers are heard saying things like "It smells sour" and "I won’t eat this" while trimming these ingredients.

A video capturing the process of trimming defective materials at a subsidiary factory of Hanseong Foods has been released, sparking controversy. / Photo by MBC Broadcast Capture

Following the growing controversy after the video was released, Han Sung Food posted an apology on the 23rd under the name of CEO Kim. Han Sung Food stated, "We sincerely apologize to our consumers for the hygiene issues related to kimchi manufacturing at our subsidiary 'Hyowon,' reported on the 22nd. Regardless of legal actions, we have immediately shut down the factory in question and begun investigating the cause. Our directly operated factories in Seosan, Busan, and Jeongseon have also been temporarily suspended."

They added, "We promise to be reborn with a new determination to prevent recurrence and restore trust. We will make every painstaking effort to thoroughly reorganize the entire quality control system and innovate a trustworthy production system."

Meanwhile, CEO Kim was designated as the "29th Korean Food Master" and the "1st Kimchi Master" in 2007. In 2017, she received the Gold Tower Industrial Medal from the government.

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