Gyeonggi Province to Conduct 'Pre-Inspections' of 151 Kimjang Ingredient Manufacturers and Processors

Gyeonggi Province will conduct inspections from November 16 to 20 of businesses in the province's 31 cities and counties that manufacture or process ingredients for kimjang, the annual kimchi-making season.

On November 11, Gyeonggi Province announced that it would collect and test key ingredients at 155 food manufacturing and processing businesses and businesses that manufacture and sell food on-site, which produce or sell ingredients for kimjang, including kimchi filling, salted cabbage, red pepper powder, salted seafood, and processed spices.

The main inspection items include whether spoiled or deteriorated ingredients such as cabbage, red peppers, and garlic are used; whether raw material storage rooms, washing areas, processing rooms, and machinery and equipment are kept clean; whether legally required records on production, operations, and raw material receipts and use are maintained; and whether groundwater quality tests are conducted.

Gyeonggi Provincial Government

However, to guard against fraud involving people impersonating public officials, Gyeonggi Province urged business operators to check inspectors' Food Sanitation Inspector or Consumer Food Sanitation Inspector ID cards. If they have any doubts, they should contact the relevant city or county call center to confirm with its sanitation management department whether an inspection is taking place.

Jeong Yeonpyo, head of Gyeonggi Province's Food Safety Division, said, "We will conduct thorough inspections so residents can buy kimjang ingredients with confidence." He added, "At home, please avoid buying products that are unlabeled or suspicious, and follow food poisoning prevention guidelines, such as washing your hands and cleaning and disinfecting cooking utensils before and after making kimchi."

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