Intensive inspections of 196 facilities over three weeks starting March 3
Goyang Special City in Gyeonggi Province (Mayor Lee Donghwan) announced on the 26th that it will carry out the "2026 Spring Semester Joint Inspection for Food Poisoning Prevention at Schools and Kindergartens" to proactively prevent food poisoning incidents and create a safe educational environment as large-scale meal services resume with the new spring semester.
The inspection will be conducted over three weeks from March 3 to March 20, and a joint inspection team will be formed with the three district offices of Goyang City (Deogyang-gu, Ilsandong-gu, and Ilsanseo-gu), the local office of education, and consumer food hygiene monitors.
This year, a total of 421 facilities in the jurisdiction will be subject to inspection, including cafeterias at elementary, middle, and high schools and universities, kindergartens, and food ingredient suppliers. For efficient safety management, the city will first inspect 196 facilities during the spring semester, and then continue inspections of the remaining businesses in the upcoming fall semester to complete a full annual inspection of all facilities.
The inspection will focus on verifying compliance with the Food Sanitation Act, including: hygiene and cleanliness management of kitchens and personal hygiene; adherence to the use-by dates of food ingredients and proper storage at appropriate temperatures (refrigerated and frozen); observance of hygiene rules during cooking and serving; and the adequacy of temperature records for vehicles transporting food ingredients.
In particular, the city will simultaneously collect and test finished products and prepared foods such as kimchi products and frequently served snacks that carry a high risk of causing food poisoning. For kindergartens, to block the recent spread of norovirus, environmental samples will also be taken from facilities such as doorknobs and toys for testing.
As a result of the inspection, serious violations such as the use of products past their use-by date will be strictly subject to administrative measures in accordance with relevant laws and regulations, and re-inspections will be conducted within six months to confirm whether improvements have been made. On the other hand, minor issues that can be corrected immediately on site will be addressed through on-site guidance to encourage voluntary improvements, along with food poisoning prevention education such as observing proper core temperatures during cooking.
An official from Goyang City said, "As the new semester begins and temperatures rise, the risk of food poisoning increases, making thorough guidance and inspections all the more important," adding, "We will establish a seamless food service hygiene safety net so that our children can safely eat the meals provided at schools and kindergartens."
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