Hundreds of elderly people who ate at a senior citizen's feast hosted by the Saemaul Association in Gijang-gun, Busan complained of abdominal pain, and the health authorities launched an epidemiological investigation.
According to Gijang-gun, Busan, today (17th), many seniors who attended the 23rd Gijang Senior Citizens Hanmadang Festival held yesterday (16th) at Gijang Indoor Gymnasium are showing symptoms similar to food poisoning, such as diarrhea and abdominal pain.
The exact number of people is not yet known, but it is estimated that there are hundreds of people complaining of abdominal pain.
At that time, the festival was attended by about 5,000 to 6,000 residents of Gijang-gun, including 1,200 from Jeonggwan-eup.
Among them, it was reported that the majority of seniors who ate Jangjorim prepared by the Saemaul Women's Association in Jeonggwan-eup showed symptoms such as abdominal pain and diarrhea.
It is said that Jangjorim was made on the 15th and was not refrigerated.
A Gijang-gun official said, "Food is prepared separately by region, but only those who ate at a table in the Jeonggwan area show symptoms.
The health authorities set up a temporary treatment room at the Jeonggwan Branch in Gijang-gun and started responding.
Gijang-gun is conducting an epidemiological investigation by forming a joint investigation team with the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and Busan City.
Gijang-gun has so far collected about 100 samples and requested an examination from the Busan Institute of Health and Environment, and it will take about a week for the test results to come out.
Governor Oh Gyu-seok said, "I am very sorry and apologetic that this has happened," he said.
(Photo = provided by Yonhap News TV, Yonhap News)