PC Bangs Account for Three-Quarters of Food Hygiene Violations at Youth Venues
South Korean regulatory data show that internet cafes accounted for 588 of 782 food sanitation violations found at four types of leisure venues popular with young people from 2020 through June 2026.
Internet cafes accounted for more than three-quarters of food hygiene violations recorded at several types of South Korean leisure venues popular with children and teenagers, according to government data released through a National Assembly lawmaker.
Authorities found 782 violations of the Food Sanitation Act at internet cafes, kids cafes, comic book cafes and board game cafes between 2020 and June 2026. The figures were compiled by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and submitted to lawmakers serving on the National Assembly’s Health and Welfare Committee.
Internet cafes, widely known in Korea as PC bangs, recorded 588 cases, representing 75.2 percent of the total. Kids cafes followed with 121 violations, while comic book cafes had 38 and board game cafes had 35. These venues often combine recreation with the sale or preparation of snacks and meals, making food hygiene rules relevant to a large number of younger customers.
The most frequent problem was a failure to complete mandatory hygiene training. Regulators recorded 464 such cases, or 59.3 percent of all violations. Another 107 cases involved required health checkups that had not been completed. Authorities also identified 78 breaches of operator compliance rules, 67 violations of sanitary food-handling standards and 40 failures to meet facility standards.
The data indicate that the issue has continued into 2026. PC bangs logged 65 violations during the first six months of this year, equivalent to 72.2 percent of the 90 cases recorded across all of 2025.
Most enforcement actions resulted in financial penalties. Administrative fines were imposed in 640 cases, accounting for 81.8 percent of all measures. Regulators also issued 47 penalty surcharges, 39 facility improvement orders, 34 business suspensions and 22 corrective orders.
Rep. Seo Young-seok of the ruling Democratic Party called for authorities to reassess inspections and hygiene management at venues used by young people. He said food safety oversight is particularly important because children and teenagers do not merely spend time at these businesses but also eat there. Seo highlighted the high share of missed hygiene training and a sharp decline in inspections of kids cafes as reasons for the ministry and local governments to review their on-site enforcement systems.
The findings place renewed attention on whether inspection coverage and operator education are keeping pace with the expansion of hybrid leisure-and-dining businesses. They also show that basic compliance requirements, rather than only severe food-handling failures, make up a substantial share of violations.