Michelin two-star restaurant owner faces 1-year prison term for serving ant desserts

Prosecutors have sought a one-year prison sentence for the owner of a Michelin two-star restaurant in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, who is on trial for serving dishes topped with ants — an insect not approved for human consumption under South Korean law.

Judge Lee Se-chang of the Seoul Western District Court's Criminal Division 8 presided over the first hearing Monday in the food sanitation law violation case against the restaurant's owner, identified only as A, and the corporate entity that operates the establishment. Prosecutors called for a one-year prison term for A and a fine of 20 million won ($13,500) for the operating company.

A and others are accused of importing dried ants from the United States and Thailand beginning in 2021 and serving them atop certain menu items for roughly four years. Under the Food Sanitation Act, ants are not among the 10 insect species approved for human consumption and therefore cannot be used as a food ingredient.

Prosecutors cited the prolonged duration of the alleged offense and the detection of heavy metals above permissible levels in the ants used as grounds for the sentencing request.

Prosecutors said the restaurant sold ant-topped desserts to 12,274 customers, generating approximately 120 million won in profit.

The defense acknowledged the charges but argued that the amount of ants used and the number of customers served were actually lower than prosecutors calculated. The defense also said ants appeared in only a very small portion of the menu.

A's attorney said staff asked customers in advance whether they wanted ants added to their dish and did not serve them to those who declined. "In practice, about 60 percent of customers said they would eat the ants," the attorney said.

The court is scheduled to deliver its ruling on Sept. 2.