South Korea’s strict insect‑food rules bite a Michelin‑starred restaurant

Seoul’s Western District Court ruled on 16 September that the restaurant’s owner, identified only by the surname Kim, and the business operating the venue must each pay a fine of 10 million won. The penalty follows an investigation into the use of illegal insect ingredients.

According to the indictment, Kim imported dried ants from the United States and Thailand and used them as a garnish on a sherbet dessert. The ant‑topped dessert was on the menu from April 2021 until January 2026.

South Korean food‑safety regulations allow only ten insect species to be used as food ingredients. Grasshoppers and certain silkworms are among the permitted insects, but ants are not on the approved list.

The court noted that the ants contained heavy‑metal levels above the legal limit, and that the restaurant had actively promoted the dessert, raising health concerns for diners.

Authorities estimated that roughly 49,000 ants were served to 12,274 customers, generating about 120 million won in revenue over the four‑year period.

Prosecutors originally asked for a one‑year prison sentence, but the judge reduced the punishment to a fine after considering Kim’s admission of wrongdoing and his clean criminal record.

The case highlights why South Korea’s strict insect‑food rules matter: they protect consumers from unapproved ingredients and from contaminants such as heavy metals, regardless of a restaurant’s prestige.

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