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South Korea Restaurant Owner Faces Jail for Ant Sorbet
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia /Crime & Justice

South Korea Restaurant Owner Faces Jail for Ant Sorbet

From Asharq Al-Awsat · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified In the courts
  • A South Korean restaurant owner faces a one-year jail sentence for using black ants to garnish a sorbet, a practice deemed a violation of food safety regulations.
  • Prosecutors requested the prison term and a fine for the owner of a Michelin-starred restaurant accused of importing and serving forbidden insects from Thailand and the US.
  • The defense argued the ant-topped desserts were only served to consenting customers, and the court is expected to rule in early September.

The owner of a South Korean Michelin-starred restaurant is facing a potential one-year jail sentence for garnishing a palate-cleansing sorbet with black ants. Prosecutors have requested the prison term and a 20 million won fine for violating food safety regulations, according to local media reports.

to add a sour taste

— local mediadescribing the reason for garnishing the sorbet with ants

Authorities launched an investigation last year after claiming the chef topped icy desserts with "three to five" ants imported from Thailand and the US to "add a sour taste." Under South Korean law, only 10 insect species are approved for human consumption. The restaurant, which holds two Michelin stars, allegedly made around 12,000 sales worth 120 million won ($81,000) over nearly four years until January 2025, using these forbidden insects.

three to five

— food ministry statementspecifying the number of ants allegedly used

Evidence presented included a can labeled "Cuisine Black Ants." The defendant's lawyers argued that the ant-topped confections were served only to customers who had given prior consent. "I apologize for this incident, which arose from my failure to fully understand the relevant regulations," the defendant reportedly stated in his closing argument. The court is scheduled to deliver its ruling in early September.

to add a sour taste

— food ministry statementfurther explaining the alleged purpose of the ants
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Asharq Al-Awsat. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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