 Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon eats octopus during a luncheon with lawmakers at City Hall Monday, as part of the National Assembly’s annual audit into the city administration. / Korea Times photo by Cho Young-ho |
By Bae Ji-sook
Disputes on the harmfulness of small octopus intestines and the ink inside their bodies have reignited, cautioning consumers and dealing a further blow to fisherman already suffering from a low season. Octopus is called “nakji” in Korean.
On Monday, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon reassured lawmakers at the National Assembly’s annual audit that he would advise people not to eat the intestines and bodies of octopi.
“It is an official stance of the Seoul Metropolitan Government that eating octopus intestines and ink is not recommended,” Oh said.
His remark came several weeks after the Korea Food and Drug Administration (KFDA) officially denounced the city administration’s previous allegations that heavy metals such as cadmium were detected in the bodies of octopi. The KFDA said, “The research process Seoul city adopted was poor, and could easily result in misleading information.”
The food administration’s response also reflects the sentiments of the fishery industry, which claims to have suffered from a huge sales losses after the city government’s announcement.
In fact, several fishermen brought octopi in front of the audit room to protest Seoul city’s warning Monday.
Many Koreans love octopus as they believe it is good for their health, especially the brain and for stamina.
Some fishermen have threatened to file a compensation suit against the city government as the dispute has been dragging on for about one month.
However, Oh stood firm. “I believe the institute, an affiliate of the city government, has appropriate facilities to conduct proper examinations. I believe that it is safer to refrain from eating it.”
Oh instantly was criticized for his “indecent behavior.”
Rep. Lee Nak-yon of the main opposition Democratic Party said, “The announcement is nothing but showing off by Oh. Seoul city never consulted with the KFDA and other authorities before the announcement. It was an imprudent move and has affected so many vendors and fishermen. Oh should apologize for making such inappropriate remarks.”
He said the city government’s report is full of errors and the examination facilities were not good enough to acknowledge the results as legitimate findings.
The online world is also sizzling to Oh’s remarks. “Is he too proud to give in to the KFDA, or is he the one telling the truth braving criticisms?” an online observer asked.
During the luncheon, Lee brought in 40 octopuses, which contained intestines and of course, bodies. Oh ate some.
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