Amendment to the 'Liquor License Act Enforcement Decree'
Scheduled to take effect as early as April
Starting as early as next month, it is expected that restaurants will be able to sell 'by-the-glass' alcohol.
It is expected that from as early as next month, restaurants will be able to sell "Jansul" (small servings of alcohol). The photo is not directly related to the article. [Image source=Getty Images]
On the 20th, the Ministry of Economy and Finance announced a legislative notice for the amendment of the "Enforcement Decree of the Liquor License Act," which includes this provision. The amendment specifies "cases where liquor is divided and sold in empty containers such as glasses" as one of the exceptions to the cancellation of liquor sales licenses within the scope of simple processing or manipulation of liquor. In other words, it means that selling liquor by the glass, dividing liquor from a bottle into glasses or other containers for sale, is now allowed in addition to selling liquor by the bottle.
Previously, selling liquor by the glass was permitted under internal regulations of the National Tax Service. At the end of 2022, the National Tax Service stated, "Since there was a significant gap between the actual liquor consumption habits of the public and the regulations, there will be no plans to punish the sale of liquor by the glass going forward." Following this, the legal basis for selling liquor by the glass has become clearer with this amendment. Additionally, the amendment allows selling liquor that has been cooled or heated, as well as liquor mixed with other ingredients on the spot.
A variety of soju bottles are displayed at Hanaro Mart Yangjae Branch in Seocho-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@
The amendment also includes provisions allowing comprehensive liquor wholesalers to supply non-alcoholic and alcohol-free beverages together with liquor to restaurants. Until now, comprehensive liquor wholesalers were only allowed to distribute liquor with an alcohol content of 1% or higher. Therefore, restaurant owners had to go directly to supermarkets to purchase non-alcoholic beverages such as non-alcoholic beer, which was inconvenient. From now on, they will be able to receive non-alcoholic beverages directly from comprehensive liquor wholesalers.
Regarding this amendment, the Ministry of Economy and Finance stated, "This is to supplement deficiencies in the operation of the current system," and added, "We will collect opinions during the legislative notice period and reflect them in the amendment." The amendment will undergo a legislative notice period until the 29th of next month and is expected to be implemented as early as April.
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