Naju City Opens Public Recruitment for 'Naju Bapsang Representative Restaurants' Until the 20th

[Naju=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yukbong] Naju City, Jeollanam-do (Mayor Yoon Byung-tae) announced on the 12th that it will publicly recruit representative restaurants to participate in the ‘Naju Bapsang Branding’ project until the 20th.

This project was discovered as a pledge project to systematically preserve the local food resources passed down through generations and to promote the creation of a food tourism attraction embodying the unique taste and charm of Naju, thereby revitalizing the local commercial economy.

The city has established and is promoting a comprehensive plan for the Naju Bapsang branding with the vision of ‘Naju to visit again, implementing a delicious and enjoyable Naju Bapsang’ in the 8th term of the elected government.

Starting with the selection of representative restaurants this time, it takes the first step toward making a food tourism attraction.

Earlier, the city collected basic data for designating representative restaurants through an online consumer perception survey conducted from October to November last year, and established and promulgated the ‘Ordinance on Designation and Support for Naju Bapsang Representative Restaurants’ on January 6 this year to build an institutional foundation.

The application target (businesses) for representative restaurants are dining establishments that have been operating normally for more than one year after reporting business in Naju City as of the announcement date (January 6).

Currently, the number of registered restaurants in Naju City is counted as 1,650 as of the end of last year.

Applications can be submitted online by scanning the QR code (photo) or by filling out the application form and visiting the administrative welfare center of the registered address’s eup, myeon, or dong by the 20th.

However, businesses that fall under ‘less than one year since business registration,’ ‘business suspension or closure for more than one month,’ ‘administrative sanctions such as business suspension due to violations of the Food Sanitation Act or the Agricultural and Fishery Products Origin Labeling Act within the last year,’ ‘less than two years since cancellation of designation as Food Sanitation Grade, Model Restaurant, Safe Restaurant, Namdo Food Master, or Designated Restaurant,’ or ‘popular franchises’ are excluded from the target.

For more details, please check the announcement and notices on the city hall website.

The city plans to finalize and announce the representative restaurants at the end of next month through a first-round document screening evaluating administrative sanctions and disqualifications, and a second-round on-site evaluation by an external expert panel by field.

The evaluation panel will assess ‘food quality’ (food menu, service, etc.) and ‘hygiene and facility management’ through on-site visits.

Selected representative restaurants will be issued a ‘designation certificate’ and a ‘designation plaque’ and will be granted eligibility to apply for Naju Bapsang support projects.

Major support areas include ‘facility environment improvement’ suitable for representative restaurants, ‘website promotion and content production,’ ‘management mindset hygiene and service education,’ ‘kiosks’ (touchscreen unmanned terminals), ‘employee hygiene uniforms’ (aprons, hygiene caps), and ‘Naju Bapsang branded tableware and hygiene products.’

Mayor Yoon Byung-tae said, “We will revitalize the local economy through Naju Bapsang, which contains taste, charm, and health, making Naju a food tourism attraction where tradition and modernity harmonize and a place people want to visit again. Along with providing safe food for citizens and tourists, we will elevate Naju as a leading destination for healthy gourmet travel.”

Naju=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yukbong baekok@asiae.co.kr