Yongin City: "Feel Safe Purchasing Ancestral Rite Products at Traditional Markets and Supermarkets"

Radiation Tests on Chuseok Food Items Confirm Safety

Yongin City in Gyeonggi Province announced on September 24 that no radioactive substances were detected during inspections of agricultural and marine products and processed foods for ancestral rites in the region ahead of Chuseok.

Yongin City announced that all items tested for radiation in traditional markets and supermarkets, including agricultural and marine products and processed foods for ancestral rites, showed 'normal' results. A seafood store inside a traditional market in Yongin. Provided by Yongin City.

The city explained that it collected items for ancestral rites sold at traditional markets and large supermarkets and tested for concentrations of iodine-131 and cesium-134/137, which are indicators of radioactive contamination, and found no abnormalities.

Cesium and iodine are the radioactive isotopes that emit the most radiation during nuclear accidents and are therefore used as key indicators of contamination. Since 2022, the city has been conducting radiation tests every year on products for which citizens have requested inspection.

If any food is found to be non-compliant in the inspection, it is collected and disposed of in accordance with recall and disposal guidelines. In the first half of this year, a total of 66 items were tested, and all were deemed compliant.

The results of the radiation inspections can be found on the city hall website, and any citizen can request a radiation test through the city’s hygiene department.

A city official stated, "We proactively conducted radiation safety inspections to ensure the safety of food for citizens during the Chuseok holiday," adding, "We will continue to secure food safety through ongoing inspections in the future."