Prosecutors in South Korea have requested a one-year prison sentence for the owner of a two-Michelin-starred restaurant in Seoul’s Gangnam district. The legal action follows allegations that the establishment served a dessert topped with dried ants, an insect not currently approved for human consumption under the nation's food sanitation act.
In addition to the potential prison term, authorities have sought a 20m won (£10,108) fine for the company operating the restaurant. The investigation was initiated by the ministry of food and drug safety after officials discovered mentions of the ant-based dishes on social media and personal blogs, rather than through a standard regulatory inspection.
Under current South Korean law, only 10 specific insect species—including mealworms, grasshoppers, and silkworm pupae—are permitted as food ingredients. Businesses intending to utilize unapproved insects are required to obtain temporary approval, a step the restaurant failed to complete. Violations of these regulations can result in a maximum penalty of five years in prison or a 50m won fine.
According to prosecutors, the restaurant imported dried ants from Thailand and the United States starting in 2021. Over a period of approximately four years, the establishment reportedly sold the ant-topped sorbet roughly 12,200 times, generating about 120m won (£60,647) in revenue. The prosecution estimates that approximately 49,000 ants were used in the dishes.
The restaurant’s defense team has challenged these figures, arguing that the prosecution’s estimate assumes every customer accepted the topping, whereas only about 60% of patrons actually did. They further maintained that the ants were only used in a small fraction of the 15-course menu. Representatives for the restaurant explained that the chef, having used ants to add acidity to dishes while working in Europe and the US, was unaware that the practice was illegal in South Korea. The court is scheduled to deliver its sentencing on 2 September.
The request, made on Monday, also sought a 20m won (£10,108) fine for the company that runs the restaurant, Yonhap news agency reported.
Businesses wishing to use an unapproved insect must first obtain temporary approval, a process the restaurant did not follow, the ministry said. Violating the law carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison or a 50m won fine.
