"I'll Never Be Able to Eat This Again"... Shock Over Street Stall Turned 'Pigeon Buffet'

Street Food Hygiene Controversy as Pigeons Stand on Stalls

A pigeon perched on a street food stall pecking at the food for sale. Thread capture

A video showing pigeons standing on a street food stall and pecking at the food is rapidly spreading online, sparking a public hygiene controversy.

Recently, a post criticizing the hygiene status of a street food stall was uploaded to social networking services (SNS). The video shows two pigeons standing atop a stall where chicken skewers, fish cakes, sausages, egg bread, and hot dogs are displayed for sale.

Pigeons Strolling and Pecking at Food with Their Beaks

One pigeon is seen wandering around the display case, while the other stands directly on the food and pecks at the surrounding items. The fact that there were no covers protecting the food, leaving it completely exposed to external contamination, further intensified the controversy. The person who posted the video called for caution, describing the hygiene condition as "shocking."

Viewers who watched the video expressed strong disgust. Comments included, "I won't be able to eat street food anymore," "It's like eating together with pigeons," "They can't even manage basic hygiene," "I can't believe places like this exist in our country," "Pigeon buffet," and "This is food you shouldn't eat."

A pigeon standing on a street food stall pecking at the food for sale. Thread capture

Urban pigeons have already been designated as "nuisance wild animals" due to their increased population and hygiene problems. Experts warn that food contacted by pigeons is highly likely to be exposed to various bacteria and pathogens. In particular, consuming food contaminated by pigeon beaks or feet can significantly increase the risk of infectious diseases, requiring extra caution.

100,000 Won Fine for Feeding Pigeons...Enforcement Begins This Month

As pigeon habitats expand, issues with hygiene and cleanliness caused by their droppings continue to persist. In response, the Seoul Metropolitan Government designated a total of 38 locations—including major parks and plazas such as Seoul Plaza, Gwanghwamun Square, Seoul Forest, and 11 districts along the Han River Park—as pigeon feeding prohibition zones in April last year. Since July last year, a fine system has been in place for those providing food to pigeons within these prohibited areas.

Starting this month, the city will strengthen enforcement in these pigeon feeding prohibition zones, imposing fines on violators. The fines are 200,000 won for a first offense, 500,000 won for a second offense, and up to 1 million won for three or more offenses.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.