Gyeonggi Special Judicial Police to Intensify Crackdown on Illegal Practices at Industrial Workplace Cafeterias

The Gyeonggi-do Special Judicial Police will conduct an intensive crackdown from November 2 to 13, 2026, targeting 210 industrial workplace cafeterias and contract food service companies across the province to ensure food safety.

The crackdown was organized to prevent hygiene management problems that may arise as more people use workplace cafeterias amid recent increases in dining-out prices, including cut-price bidding competition and poor inspection and storage of ingredients. In particular, concerns have been raised that industrial workplace cafeterias are more likely to fall into a regulatory blind spot than schools and daycare centers, which are subject to regular inspections, making proactive inspections necessary.

Poster Announcing a Crackdown on Illegal Practices at Industrial Cafeterias

The main targets of the crackdown include the use of unauthorized ingredients by unregistered businesses; false labeling of countries of origin on menus and transaction statements; failure to comply with storage standards for refrigerated and frozen foods; and the storage or use of products past their use-by dates, as well as operating without filing the required notification.

Violations will be subject to strict penalties under relevant laws. The use of unauthorized ingredients is punishable by up to 10 years in prison or a fine of up to KRW 100 million; falsely labeling a product's country of origin is punishable by up to seven years in prison or a fine of up to KRW 100 million; and violations of storage standards are punishable by up to five years in prison or a fine of up to KRW 50 million.

Kwon Munju, head of the Gyeonggi-do Special Judicial Police, said, "Industrial workplace cafeterias are highly vulnerable in terms of food safety because they are excluded from regular inspections by relevant agencies, including the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. We will continue to crack down on food service sectors in regulatory blind spots to provide residents with a safe food environment."

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