Kindness and Hygiene in Busan: Proactive Food Safety Management Ahead of VisitBusan

Focused Hygiene Inspection on Establishments Serving Signature Foods like Dwaeji Gukbap, Eomuk, and Coffee

Gwangalli Campaign Held to Promote Fair Pricing, Courtesy, and Hygiene in Dining and Lodging Businesses

Busan City will proactively implement food safety management targeting restaurants in tourist-dense areas until April 7.

Busan City Hall.

This initiative aims to showcase a friendly and hygienic image of ‘Busan’ that is fully prepared for food safety in time for the onsite inspection by the International Exhibitions Bureau in early April, and to welcome visitors coming to Busan during the spring outing season (Visit Busan).

From March 6 to March 17, the city conducted basic hygiene inspections on restaurants located in tourist areas such as airports, railway stations, recreational areas, and amusement parks, as well as food culture specialty streets in each district and county, checking compliance with hygienic handling standards and whether leftover food was reused.

Following this, from March 20 to April 7, the city will continue hygiene inspections focusing on establishments handling Busan’s representative foods frequently visited by tourists, such as pork soup (Dwaeji Gukbap), fish cake (Eomuk), and coffee.

The main inspection and guidance areas include ▲posting and compliance with price tags inside and outside business premises ▲establishing an advanced food culture such as prohibiting the reuse of leftover food ▲hygienic management of handled ingredients and compliance with consumption (distribution) expiration dates ▲compliance with hygienic handling standards in cooking facilities ▲on-site hygiene education to prevent food poisoning and strengthen personal hygiene ▲and practicing friendliness by business owners and employees.

In particular, during the International Exhibitions Bureau’s onsite inspection in early April, the city plans to conduct more thorough guidance on providing accurate information such as posting price tags to prevent misunderstandings about food prices, like overcharging, for tourists visiting Busan to participate in events supporting the bid for the 2030 Busan World Expo, including fireworks shows.

Additionally, on March 30 at 2 p.m., the city will hold a joint public-private campaign with hygiene organizations from the food service and lodging industries, consumer hygiene monitors, and others at Gwangalli Beach to improve food and public hygiene standards.

This campaign aims to encourage fair pricing, friendliness, and hygiene practices in restaurants and lodging businesses, and to create a buzz supporting the bid for the 2030 Busan World Expo. Through this campaign, the city plans to promote business owners’ self-regulation resolutions such as proper price display, the practice of safe dining culture, and food poisoning prevention awareness.

Lee Sora, Director of the Citizen Health Bureau, said, “To showcase Busan as a global gourmet city, safe food culture and food hygiene, including food safety management, must be firmly supported,” adding, “We will continuously promote food safety management to present a friendly and hygienic image of Busan to the International Exhibitions Bureau’s onsite inspection team.”