Baek Jong-won, representative of Theborn Korea, received fines for using liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in an indoor space without separate facilities.
The county of Yesan in South Chungcheong Province stated on the 20th that it plans to impose fines of up to 2 million won on Theborn Korea for violating the LPG law.
Baek posted a YouTube video in May last year showing how to make Chinese dish 'Jijia' at Theborn Food Industry Development Institute in Yesan. In the video, high-pressure gas cylinders were present in the kitchen, prompting criticism that Baek violated the liquefied petroleum gas law.
Baek unveiled the scene of developing a new menu for his franchise 'Baeksbeer' in a YouTube video, where he fried chicken bones in the kitchen. At that time, an LPG gas cylinder was installed next to the fryer.
According to Article 69 of the Enforcement Rules of the Liquefied Petroleum Gas Act, gas cylinders must be placed outdoors where ventilation is adequate. Violating this can lead to a penalty surcharge of less than 40 million won imposed by the permitting or registering authority.
Earlier this month, a complaint was filed with the National Public Petition regarding Baek's violation of the liquefied petroleum gas law. Recently, the county of Yesan conducted an on-site inspection of Theborn Food Industry Development Institute.
When the county officials visited the facility, the LPG cylinders had been removed.
The county is reportedly considering the deficiencies acknowledged by Theborn Korea in response to the YouTube video and their issued apology when deciding on the administrative penalty.
Baek apologized through the comments of the video, stating, "I apologize for causing concern regarding the video. The filming was conducted to test equipment developed for the festival, and it included about 15 minutes of menu testing, ensuring adequate ventilation by operating the exhaust system."
He added, "I had a K-class fire extinguisher on hand and two gas safety managers accompanied for the inspection before proceeding," and noted, "All related equipment was removed after filming."