What was the most common food safety violation at South Korean kids cafes and PC bangs?

Failure to complete mandatory hygiene training was the leading violation, with 464 cases, representing 59.3 percent of all violations. Other violations included missed health checkups, operator compliance breaches, sanitary handling problems and facility standards violations.

What penalties were imposed for food hygiene violations at South Korean leisure cafes?

Administrative fines were the most common penalty, accounting for 640 cases, or 81.8 percent of all penalties. Authorities also issued 47 penalty surcharges, 39 facility improvement orders, 34 business suspensions and 22 corrective orders.

More cafes, PC rooms found violating food safety rules

Q: How many food hygiene violations were found at PC bangs and other child-oriented leisure venues in South Korea?

Authorities recorded 782 Food Sanitation Act violations at kids cafes, internet cafes, comic book cafes and board game cafes from 2020 through June this year. Internet cafes accounted for 588 cases, or 75.2 percent of the total.

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Summary

Internet cafes recorded the most food hygiene violations among leisure venues popular with children and teenagers in South Korea from 2020 through June this year. Authorities found 782 violations, with PC bangs accounting for 588 cases, or 75.2 percent. Missed mandatory hygiene training was the most common violation, while inspections of kids cafes fell by nearly half. A lawmaker called for stronger inspections and hygiene management.

Key Facts

The 782 violations included 121 at kids cafes, 38 at comic book cafes and 35 at board game cafes.
Failure to complete mandatory hygiene training accounted for 464 violations, followed by missed health checkups with 107 cases.
Internet cafes recorded 65 violations in the first half of this year, equal to 72.2 percent of their 90 violations last year.
Administrative fines accounted for 640 penalties, followed by 47 penalty surcharges, 39 facility improvement orders, 34 business suspensions and 22 corrective orders.

By Jhoo Dong-chan

Published Oct 9, 2026 2:04 pm KST

Internet cafes accounted for three-quarters of food hygiene violations since 2020 at leisure venues popular with children and teenagers, while inspections of kids cafes have fallen by nearly half, according to data from the office of Rep. Seo Young-seok of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), Friday.

Authorities recorded 782 violations of the Food Sanitation Act at kids cafes, internet cafes, comic book cafes and board game cafes from 2020 through June this year. The figures come from Ministry of Food and Drug Safety data submitted to DPK lawmakers on the National Assembly’s Health and Welfare Committee.

Internet cafes, known locally as "PC bang," accounted for 588 cases, or 75.2 percent, followed by kids cafes with 121, comic book cafes with 38 and board game cafes with 35.

Failure to complete mandatory hygiene training was the most common violation at 464 cases, or 59.3 percent. It was followed by failure to undergo health checkups at 107, violations of operator compliance rules at 78, breaches of sanitary handling standards at 67 and facility standards violations at 40.

Internet cafes logged 65 violations in the first half of this year alone, equal to 72.2 percent of last year’s total of 90.

Administrative fines made up 640 of the penalties, or 81.8 percent, followed by 47 penalty surcharges, 39 facility improvement orders, 34 business suspensions and 22 corrective orders.

“Hygiene management is important because kids cafes, internet cafes and similar venues are used by many children and teenagers, who also eat there,” the lawmaker said.

“With missed hygiene training making up nearly 60 percent of all violations and kids cafe inspections falling sharply, the ministry and local governments need to reexamine on-site inspections and hygiene management systems.”

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