Bidding Restrictions Imposed on School Meal Suppliers Violating Food Safety and Country-of-Origin Labeling Rules

Suppliers that violate hygiene and safety management or country-of-origin labeling obligations regarding school meal ingredients will face restrictions on participating in bids moving forward.

The Ministry of Education announced that a partial amendment to the enforcement decree of the School Meal Act containing these measures was deliberated and resolved during a Cabinet meeting today (August 18).

The amendment stipulates that school principals can designate suppliers that have committed legal violations—such as selling hazardous foods, failing to comply with livestock product standards and specifications, or falsely labeling the country of origin—as subject to restrictions on bidding eligibility or exclusion from private contracts.

Suppliers that receive administrative dispositions under the Food Sanitation Act or the Livestock Products Sanitary Control Act for violating food poisoning bacteria detection standards will have their bidding eligibility restricted or be excluded from private contracts for four months.

In addition, if a supplier is finalized with a fine or heavier punishment for violating the Act on Labeling of Origin for Agricultural and Fishery Products by falsely labeling the country of origin of food ingredients, their bidding eligibility will be restricted or they will be excluded from private contracts for six months.

(Photo: Provided by Yonhap News TV, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.