South Korea’s government today ordered dozens of schools to suspend their lunch programmes after more than 1,700 students taken ill with food poisoning.
The Education Ministry took the measure for 68 schools in Seoul and surrounding Gyeonggi Province — which receive lunch catering service from one company — after 1,709 students from 25 of the schools showed food poisoning symptoms, including stomach pain, diarrhoea and vomiting.
One of the students was admitted to hospital, but was discharged today, said Kim Dong-ro, a ministry official.
Health authorities said they were investigating the case, but the cause was still unclear.
The company, CJ Food System, offered a public apology and said it was investigating.