Health authorities have launched an epidemiological investigation after more than 200 students at an elementary school in Suncheon, Jeonnam-Gwangju, reported symptoms of suspected food poisoning.
Students at the school began complaining of vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhea starting on the 17th, the Suncheon city government said on the 21st. A survey of all students at the school found 228 with symptoms.
Health authorities have collected samples from the affected students and sent them for analysis. They have also retrieved preserved meal samples from the school cafeteria for the period from the 11th to the 16th to check for sources of infection.
Jeonnam-Gwangju Special Metropolitan City, the provincial education office and the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety held a joint meeting to discuss stronger measures on personal hygiene and disinfection.
"We cannot yet conclude that this is food poisoning," a Suncheon city official said. "It will likely take about five days before we have results identifying the exact cause and route of infection."
Common symptoms of food poisoning include diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain and fever. Symptoms and incubation periods vary depending on the cause, and severe cases can require medical treatment for conditions such as dehydration.
A total of 7,543 students at schools nationwide showed symptoms of food poisoning between 2019 and 2025, according to data the Ministry of Education submitted to the National Assembly. Last year alone accounted for 1,691 cases, the highest annual figure in the seven-year period.