{
  "id": 15714412,
  "title": "Korea to certify 1,000 Korean restaurants abroad with expanded rating system",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/20/korea-to-certify-1-000-korean-restaurants-abroad-with-expanded-rating",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-20T07:17:02.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times-koreatimes",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/southkorea/health/20261020/korea-to-certify-1000-korean-restaurants-abroad-with-expanded-rating-system"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Korea is set to certify 1,000 Korean restaurants abroad through an expanded rating system, according to a recent announcement by the country's agricultural ministry. The initiative aims to maintain authentic, high-quality meals for diners worldwide as global interest in Korean cuisine continues to soar. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs unveiled a five-year plan on Tuesday to overhaul its overseas restaurant certification system, targeting 1,000 official seals of approval globally. This strategy is driven by the rising awareness of Korean cuisine, which reached 68.6% in 2025, fueled by the popularity of Korean pop culture and television dramas. However, rapid international growth has presented quality control challenges, with some overseas venues capitalizing on the name of Korean food without possessing the necessary culinary expertise or appropriate ingredients. To address this issue, the ministry is revamping its Excellence in Korean Dining program, which initially catered to upscale establishments. The updated system introduces a two-tier rating structure, now extending its coverage to casual neighborhood spots.",
  "summary": "As global appetite for Korean food soars beyond classic barbecued beef into everyday staples like fried chicken and \"gimbap,\" Korea’s agricultural ministry is launching an initiative to ensure diners abroad get authentic, high-quality meals wherever they step into a Korean eatery. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs unveiled a five-year plan, Tuesday, to dramatically expand and…",
  "key_points": [
    "Korea to certify 1,000 Korean restaurants abroad",
    "Expanded rating system introduced to maintain quality",
    "Initiative targets global interest in Korean cuisine"
  ],
  "editors_take": "Expanding the certification program to include casual dining venues allows the government to protect culinary authenticity as rising global interest in Korean cuisine creates new opportunities for low-quality imitators.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "Korea to certify 1,000 Korean restaurants abroad with expanded rating system",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/20/korea-to-certify-1-000-korean-restaurants-abroad-with-expanded-rating-15717627",
        "published": "2026-10-20T08:07:02.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}