A Michelin two-star restaurant owner has been fined after prosecution for using unauthorized ants as a dish ingredient.
The Seoul Western District Court on Wednesday fined the restaurant owner, surnamed Kim, 15 million won ($10,900), and fined the restaurant’s operating company 10 million won.
Kim was charged with importing dried ants from the United States and Thailand and using them as a garnish on a sherbet dessert at the restaurant from April 2021 to January of this year.
Under the country’s food safety regulations, ants are not approved among the 10 insect species authorized as a food ingredient.
Prosecutors had sought a one-year prison sentence on July 20, accusing the owner of violating the Food Sanitation Act. Authorities found that about 49,000 ants were served to 12,274 customers over four years, generating roughly 120 million won in revenue.
The court noted that the restaurant had promoted the dessert and that the ants contained heavy metal levels exceeding the legal threshold, saying the offense could not be considered minor.
However, the court also took into account that Kim admitted to the wrongdoing, had no prior criminal record, and may not have known the ingredient was unauthorized in Korea, since ants are used in cuisine in other countries.
Separately, 17 Michelin Guide-listed restaurants in Korea were cited for food safety violations 21 times from 2023 to 2025.
Following the case, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety conducted a special inspection of 1,720 popular restaurants in June, and administrative action is underway against 45 that were found in violation.
seoy@heraldcorp.com
