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South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said it halted sales and ordered a recall of the distilled spirit “Incheon Landing Operation Premium” after tests found methanol above the legal limit.
The product was made by Yeolwoomul Brewery Agricultural Co. in Bupyeong District, Incheon. The recall applies to 375-milliliter bottles marked with a production date of June 18, 2026. Authorities said 75 liters were produced in the affected batch.
Methanol Level 40% Above Limit
Testing by the National Tax Service’s Liquor License Support Center detected 0.7 milligrams of methanol per milliliter, 40% above the maximum permitted level of 0.5 milligrams per milliliter for distilled spirits.
The food safety ministry instructed its regional office serving the Seoul metropolitan area to oversee a rapid recall. Consumers were advised not to drink the product and to return it to the place of purchase. Reports can be submitted through South Korea’s food safety hotline at 1399 or through the ministry’s “Nae Son An” mobile app.
Health Risks
Methanol can form naturally when enzymes break down pectin in fruit. South Korean standards allow up to 1,000 milligrams per kilogram in fruit wine and 500 milligrams per kilogram in other alcoholic beverages, including distilled spirits.
Methanol is toxic and suppresses the central nervous system. Exposure can cause breathing difficulties, formic acid buildup in the blood, metabolic acidosis, vision loss or death. Producers can reduce methanol by limiting ingredients high in pectin, using yeast strains that suppress pectin-degrading enzymes and removing the first portion collected during distillation.
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