A shocking food safety scandal has emerged in South Korea. On April 26, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) revealed that the owner of food company "A", which operated in Chungnam Province, has been referred to the prosecution for violating the Food Sanitation Act. The company was caught producing large quantities of kimchi stew (김치찌개) in unsanitary, unregistered facilities, including an abandoned factory.
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| Kimchi stew made in moldy factory in South Korea |
According to the investigation, the company’s former factory was shut down due to financial troubles and power disconnection. Instead of halting operations, the owner illegally resumed production in a shuttered, unauthorized food manufacturing site in Gyeonggi Province.
Between March and December 2023, over the span of 10 months, the company produced and sold approximately 16.1 tons of kimchi stew — an amount worth around ₩120 million KRW (approx. $87,000 USD) — to 7 local restaurants, without any official business registration or food safety approvals.
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| Unsanitary Kimchi Stew Factory under investigation |
- Black mold and water stains covering the walls and floors
- Cooking equipment, utensils, and containers were not washed or sanitized
- No basic hygiene standards were met — making the entire operation a serious public health risk
This illegal kitchen posed severe risks of food contamination, yet the products were being served to unsuspecting restaurant customers.
Authorities launched an investigation after receiving a tip-off that unregistered kimchi stew was being supplied to food businesses. The MFDS confirmed the tip and caught the illegal operation in action.
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| Unsanitary Kimchi Stew |
This isn’t the only recent case. In December 2023, another food company, Company B, was caught producing pickled foods without business registration. That company also used untested agricultural water and operated in a facility without any pest control systems.
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety stated it will continue to strengthen inspections and crack down on illegal food manufacturing and distribution. They emphasized that such operations not only endanger public health but also undermine trust in the food industry.
Learn Korean Through This News
Korean Text:
“위생상태가 불량한 무등록 시설에서 김치찌개를 제조해 식당으로 납품한 업체가 적발됐습니다. 10달 동안 납품한 양이 16톤에 이릅니다.”
Key Vocabulary:
- 위생상태 (wi-saeng-sang-tae) – sanitary condition / hygiene status
- 불량하다 (bul-ryang-ha-da) – to be poor / bad (quality, condition)
- 무등록 시설 (mu-deung-rok si-seol) – unregistered facility
- 김치찌개 (gim-chi-jji-gae) – kimchi stew
- 제조하다 (je-jo-ha-da) – to manufacture / to make
- 납품하다 (nap-pum-ha-da) – to deliver / to supply goods
- 업체 (eop-che) – business / company
- 적발되다 (jeok-bal-dwe-da) – to be caught / discovered (usually wrongdoing)
- ~달 동안 (~dal dongan) – for ~ months
- 양 (yang) – quantity, amount
- ~에 이르다 (~e i-reu-da) – to reach (a certain amount or level)
Grammar Notes:
- ~를 제조해 납품하다 – "manufacture (something) and supply it": 무등록 시설에서 김치찌개를 제조해 식당으로 납품한 업체 → “a company that manufactured kimchi stew in an unregistered facility and supplied it to restaurants”
- ~가 적발되다 – "to be caught / detected" (used for violations or crimes): 업체가 적발됐습니다 → “The business was caught”
Translation:
"A company that produced kimchi stew in unsanitary, unregistered facilities and delivered it to restaurants has been caught. The amount supplied over 10 months reached 16 tons."
Keywords
Kimchi stew safety scandal Korea, illegal food factory South Korea, moldy food production Korea, Korean food safety news 2025, unregistered food business Korea, black mold food factory, kimchi jjigae contamination, Ministry of Food and Drug Safety Korea, food law violations Korea, 김치찌개 16톤 납품, 식품위생법 위반, 김치찌개 공장 적발, 한국 불법 식품 제조 뉴스