Photo unrelated to article. [Getty Images Bank]
Photo unrelated to article. [Getty Images Bank]

A popular knife-cut noodle restaurant in Daegu is facing scrutiny after a customer claimed staff washed dishes with water alone, using no detergent.

JTBC's "Sageon Banjang," a TV consumer affairs program, reported Tuesday that a tipster identified only as A visited a well-known kalguksu restaurant at Seomun Market in Daegu on June 10.

A said that while eating, she watched an employee rinse bowls, spoons and other utensils under running water without soap. She also said she saw flour dough left on the floor and near the dishwashing area while it was still being used.

"A friend came up from Seoul specifically to visit this famous restaurant, and seeing something this unsanitary was embarrassing," A said.

Attorney Son Su-ho, who reviewed the case on the program, said hygiene now matters as much as taste. "No matter how famous a restaurant is, scenes like that are a fatal blow to business," he said, adding that a field inspection by the relevant authorities should follow given the media coverage.

Under South Korea's Food Sanitation Act, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety can launch an on-site investigation upon receiving a violation report. Minor infractions may result in a corrective order, but serious or repeated violations can lead to administrative penalties including license revocation or suspension of operations.


choigo@heraldcorp.com