Food Truck Complaints Rise Ahead of Autumn Festival Season... Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission Issues "Civil Complaint Advisory"

The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission announced on August 25 that it has issued a "civil complaint advisory" regarding food trucks, as a large number of regional festivals are expected during the autumn season.

Citizens visiting the Night Goblin Night Market held at Yeouido Hangang Park in Seoul are lining up to purchase food from food trucks while watching the cooking process. Photo by Kang Jinhyung aymsdream@

The commission analyzed 6,590 food truck-related civil complaints received from August 2022 through last month. The average number of monthly complaints this year was 221, a 1.7-fold increase compared to 133 in 2022. The main complaints regarding food trucks include demands for crackdowns on food hygiene violations, reports of sidewalk and road occupation, and reports of illegal business operations.

Accordingly, the commission has recommended to relevant agencies that management of business areas be strengthened, and that crackdowns on unlicensed business activities be intensified.

Meanwhile, the number of complaints collected by the civil complaint analysis system last month was approximately 1.36 million, marking a 7.3% increase compared to about 1.26 million in the same month last year.

Kim Kiseon, Director General of the commission, stated, "With food truck operations expected to increase during the autumn festival season, it is necessary to ensure public safety through local government crackdowns on food trucks that obstruct road traffic or prepare food in unsanitary conditions."