Field-Based Hygiene Administration Achieves Results
Andong Ranks First Nationwide in 2025 Safe Restaurant Operation Evaluation
Andong City has been recognized as a leading local government in establishing a hygienic dining culture. On December 21, Andong City announced that it had been selected as the top local government nationwide in the "2025 Safe Restaurant Operation Excellence Evaluation," organized by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.
This evaluation targeted 225 cities, counties, and districts across the country that are implementing the Safe Restaurant designation system. The comprehensive review covered five categories and eight criteria, including the expansion of Safe Restaurant designations, operational and management systems, hygiene inspection performance, and efforts to promote and spread the initiative. Andong City received the highest score by ensuring both stability and effectiveness throughout the operation of the system.
Andong City has focused on embedding the Safe Restaurant operating standards-such as providing individual plates, supplying tongs and ladles for shared dishes, and managing utensils hygienically-not just as formalities, but as practices firmly established in restaurants. The city has also conducted regular guidance and inspections, along with customized consulting for each establishment, encouraging voluntary participation. These efforts were highly rated in the evaluation.
In particular, continuous promotional activities targeting citizens have helped make the "Safe Restaurant usage culture" a natural part of daily life. The administration has played a coordinating role, ensuring that compliance with hygiene standards is seen not as a burden for restaurants, but as a competitive advantage.
Andong City's Safe Restaurant policy emphasizes not just expanding the number of designated restaurants, but also strengthening post-designation management. By continuing inspections and education after designation, the city has increased trust in the system, which is believed to have led to greater public satisfaction.
The head of the Andong City Public Health Center stated, "This achievement of ranking first nationwide is not just the result of administrative efforts, but a success created together with citizens and restaurants. We will continue to expand the operation of Safe Restaurants and further enhance hygiene management levels to create a dining environment that both citizens and tourists can trust."
While food hygiene policies often remain at the campaign level, Andong has implemented a field-based system that follows the structure of "designation → management → establishment." This nationwide first-place achievement, created through the alignment of administrative standards, restaurant practices, and citizen choices, is regarded as evidence that hygiene administration can be transformed into a part of everyday culture.
Andong City Awarded First Place Nationwide in 2025 Safe Restaurant Operation Excellence Evaluation for Local Governments
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