A man in his 50s died from toad toxins after eating a bullfrog dish that mistakenly included toads last month, it was revealed Friday.

According to police, the 57-year-old man, identified only by his surname Hwang, and two of his colleagues cooked and ate a dish made with five bullfrogs they had caught at a reservoir, at a restaurant in Daejeon on March 9.


After Hwang had finished eating, he suddenly started to vomit and was taken to a nearby hospital as his condition worsened. He died early the next morning.

The man's two acquaintances who showed similar symptoms were also hospitalized for medical treatment.

Police found bufotenin, a toxic substance found mostly in toad skin that may cause death when ingested in large amounts, in the food remains.

Investigators believe the man ate toads thinking that they were bullfrogs.

“Two small bullfrogs of the five caught by Hwang are assumed to be toads,” said the police. “Toads are similar in shape to bullfrogs, but much care must be taken since it is dangerous to ingest, as it is poisonous.”

By Byun Hee-jin (hjbandi9@heraldcorp.com)