Baek Jong-won's Company Cited for Hygiene Violations

The company Theborn Korea, led by CEO and restaurateur Baek Jong-won, and its related personnel have been indicted on charges of violating the Livestock Product Hygiene Management Act and the Food Sanitation Act. The Hongseong Branch of the Daejeon District Prosecutors' Office has requested a fine of 5 million won each from Theborn Korea and an individual identified as Mr. A. A summary indictment is a procedure where a fine is requested in writing without a formal trial.

The controversy began in November 2023 at the 'Hongseong Global BBQ Festival,' hosted by Hongseong County, South Chungcheong Province, and co-planned by Theborn Korea. The issue arose when some raw meat supplied to the festival was transported in ordinary vehicles without refrigeration facilities, exposed to ambient temperatures, with photos and videos circulating in April of last year.

The Livestock Product Hygiene Management Act stipulates that refrigerated packaged meat must be stored and distributed between -2 degrees Celsius and 10 degrees Celsius, and frozen meat below -18 degrees Celsius. It also requires the use of vehicles equipped with facilities that can maintain the specified temperatures during transportation.

In relation to this, a complaint was filed with the 국민신문고 (National Civil Petition Service) alleging that "raw meat supplied to the festival was transported in a delivery truck while left at ambient temperature," initiating a police investigation. Furthermore, in May of last year, Hongseong County announced its intention to file a complaint, having determined that Theborn Korea violated hygiene standards during the process of salting and transporting pork it received.

Lawyer Noh Jong-eon expressed shock regarding the suspicions of Theborn Korea's livestock product hygiene management, emphasizing that compliance with regulations during distribution management is crucial for public health, as meat easily spoils at ambient temperatures. He added that food service companies, in particular, should take legal responsibility for food safety very seriously.