Five-star hotel in Gangnam found in violation of food safety laws

Josun Palace, a Luxury Collection, Seoul Gangnam, was found to be in violation of food safety laws during an inspection by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety on May 22, the ministry said Wednesday.

Constans, Josun Palace's buffet restaurant, was found to have ingredients past their expiration date, according to the ministry. The restaurant is renowned for its luxurious dining experience, evident in its pricing of 160,000 won ($122) for weekday lunches and 185,000 won for weekend lunches.

Opened in May 2021, Josun Palace Gangnam is the exclusive brand of Josun Hotel & Resort, owned by Shinsegae Group.

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has requested that the Gangnam-gu Office take administrative action against the hotel.

An official from Josun Palace Gangnam told The Korea Herald on Wednesday that the items found to be in violation were not food items served to customers.

"They were spices that had been purchased for menu development purposes during the early stages of the restaurant's opening. We kept them separately in the back storage of the restaurant's kitchen as unused ingredients," the official said.

According to the hotel official, the two spices that were in violation, oregano powder and white pepper, had expiration dates of May 5 and May 9, respectively.

Meanwhile, the ministry reported that a total of 39 out of 3,881 establishments recently inspected were found to be in violation of food safety violations. They included kids cafes, PC rooms, pet cafes, comic book cafes, screen golf venues, wedding halls, funeral halls and hotels.

Violations were also found at High1 Grand Hotel in Jeongseon, Gangwon Province, and Seaes Hotel and Resort in Seogwipo, Jeju Island.