More than 700 visitors to the Gimje Horizon Festival have reported symptoms of food poisoning.
According to Yonhap News and the city of Gimje, as of 10 a.m. on October 12, the number of visitors who reported food poisoning symptoms after attending the festival has reached 720.
The festival, which took place from October 1 to 5, saw its first reports of food poisoning symptoms from about five attendees on the final day, and related reports have continued even a week after the event concluded.
Among those hospitalized due to suspected symptoms, 32 tested positive for salmonella, one for norovirus, and nine for sapovirus and other viruses.
However, some individuals with symptoms have been confirmed to have consumed other foods, such as raw meat, prompting further investigation.
To identify the cause, Gimje city officials have collected samples from 13 food handlers involved in the preparation and serving of food and have sent them for testing. They also collected knives and cutting boards used on-site for detailed examination at the Jeonbuk Health and Environment Research Institute. Results are expected to be available around October 19.
In response to the ongoing reports of food poisoning, Gimje city and the Horizon Festival Organizing Committee issued an apology on October 9.
In their statement, they expressed, "As the organizing body, we feel a heavy responsibility and sincerely apologize. We are very sorry for the unexpected pain and significant inconvenience caused to those who visited the festival to create joyful memories with family and friends."
A city official stated, "We plan to establish compensation guidelines for visitors through discussions with loss adjusters today, and we are discussing measures to prevent recurrence by consulting with relevant departments and agencies."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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