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Busan to Conduct Special Crackdown on Illegal Lodging and Food Establishments

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The Special Judicial Police Division of Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Park Heong-joon) announced that it will conduct a six-week special investigation to ensure hygiene and safety in summer tourist areas, from July 7 to August 14.

This initiative is designed to eliminate illegal business practices at lodging and dining establishments in and around major beaches and tourist areas such as Haeundae, Songjeong, and Dadaepo, where tourist traffic peaks in summer. The goal is to establish a hygienic environment where both residents and tourists can feel safe and reassured.

Busan has been addressing hygiene blind spots through seasonal and periodic hygiene inspections in the food and public health sectors. The city has also been making continuous efforts to ensure public safety. This special investigation is a preemptive measure ahead of the National Sports Festival and the National Para Games to be held later this year, and is intended to enhance the city’s reliability as a tourism destination.

This on-site hygiene management initiative is designed to ensure that domestic and international tourists visiting Busan during the summer vacation season can enjoy the city’s unique charm in a clean and trustworthy environment.

The investigation will focus on lodging facilities and dining establishments near tourist destinations, including foreign cuisine restaurants and food delivery businesses.

Key items under investigation include:

• ●Operation of unregistered lodging businesses

• ●False or misleading labeling of food ingredient origins

• ●Use of unlabelled food products in preparation or cooking

• ●Reuse of leftover food and use of expired ingredients, in violation of food sanitation regulations

• ●Poor sanitary conditions in cooking areas, in violation of basic hygiene standards

With respect to lodging facilities, the city will conduct focused investigations on businesses operating illegally near beaches and popular tourist areas. Special attention will be given to unregistered accommodations, which pose a high risk of accidents due to inadequate facilities and fire safety measures. The city plans to take firm and strong action.

In order to operate a lodging business, one must officially register with the district or county office and meet facility and fire safety standards in accordance with applicable laws. Businesses that violate these requirements pose significant safety risks, necessitating thorough investigation.

For dining establishments, the city will focus on those that are popular on social media or by word-of-mouth, those serving representative Busan dishes such as wheat noodles (milmyeon), pork soup (dwaeji-gukbap), raw fish, and fishcakes, as well as foreign cuisine and delivery restaurants.

Special attention will be paid to the cleanliness of kitchens, reuse of food, and use of expired ingredients. For delivery restaurants, the city will also check hygiene practices during cooking and packaging.

If any violations are identified during the investigation, the city will take strict action, including criminal charges and reporting to relevant authorities in accordance with applicable laws.

Legal penalties include:

• ●Operating an unregistered lodging business: up to two years’ imprisonment or a fine of up to KRW 20 million under the Public Health Control Act

• ●Reusing leftover food or using expired ingredients: up to three years’ imprisonment or a fine of up to KRW 30 million under the Food Sanitation Act

• ●Poor kitchen hygiene: a fine of up to KRW 5 million under the Food Sanitation Act

Mayor Park Heong-joon stated, “Providing a safe and clean environment for both domestic and international tourists is a fundamental responsibility of a tourism city,” and added, “We will thoroughly inspect hygiene practices ahead of the summer season to preemptively prevent illegal operations and strengthen Busan’s image as a city that visitors want to return to.”

He further emphasized, “Our city will not only conduct intensified inspections during the summer but will continue to maintain a hygienic environment year-round so that both residents and tourists can feel safe.”

Meanwhile, the Special Judicial Police Division of Busan City is accepting reports from citizens regarding illegal activities in the food and public health sectors. Reports can be made to the Food Investigation Team at 051-888-3091 or 3096, and the Public Health Investigation Team at 051-888-3101.