"Auntie, One Glass of Soju Here" Available Restaurants... Debates Over "Hygiene Concerns"

Implementation of Revised Act Minimizing Confusion in Alcohol Sales
Netizens "Welcome" vs "Worry About Hygiene"

From the 28th, the sale of 'glass servings' of all types of alcoholic beverages will be permitted in restaurants.

The Ministry of Economy and Finance's amendment to the Enforcement Decree of the Liquor License Act, approved at the recent Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, will take effect on the 28th. The amendment exempts "cases where liquor is sold by dividing it into empty containers such as glasses" from the grounds for liquor sales license cancellation. In other words, selling so-called 'glass servings' is recognized as a simple processing or manipulation of liquor and is thus an exception to license cancellation.

According to the National Tax Service's basic interpretation, cases where selling glass servings actually led to license cancellation were rare, but there had been confusion due to differing standards depending on the type of liquor when selling by the glass. Mixing carbonated water with liquor or pouring beer into empty containers was considered an exception to simple processing or manipulation, so selling cocktails and draft beer by the glass was generally allowed. However, it was not explicitly stipulated that selling whiskey, soju, Makgeolli, sake, etc., by the glass was an exception to arbitrary processing or manipulation. Because of this, there was a possibility that selling soju or Makgeolli by the glass could lead to prohibition of liquor sales if caught.

Now, with clear legal grounds, the sale of glass servings of all types of alcoholic beverages is permitted. The amendment also includes provisions allowing comprehensive liquor wholesalers to supply non-alcoholic and alcohol-free beverages manufactured and sold by liquor producers to restaurants along with alcoholic beverages. Currently, comprehensive liquor wholesalers can only distribute liquors with an alcohol content of 1% or higher, but going forward, they will be able to distribute low-alcohol or non-alcoholic beverages as well. This means liquor wholesalers will now be able to supply 'alcohol-free' beer to restaurants.

While netizens responded to the newly permitted sale of 'soju glass servings' by saying it is a suitable policy for those who are not good at drinking or find bottle servings burdensome, some expressed concerns such as "It may be hard to trust hygiene management when selling collected leftover drinks from customers" and "Situations that may arise when problems occur should also be clearly specified."