'Just one drink' of soju to soon be an option as restaurants sell by the glass

Industry

Published: 23 Mar. 2024, 07:00

'Just one drink' of soju to soon be an option as restaurants sell by the glass

Soju and beer fill a liquor fridge in a restaurant in downtown Seoul. [NEWS1]

Consumers may be able to order soju by the glass by as early as April.

The Ministry of Economy and Finance announced a forthcoming amendment to liquor licensing laws, allowing for individual servings of liquor alongside traditional bottle sales.

The proposed change exempts such sales from the risk of license cancellations and is meant to provide clearer guidelines regarding the permissible scope of basic processing and handling of liquor.

Furthermore, the amendment expands the scope of beverages wholesalers can supply to restaurants to include non-alcoholic drinks, which were previously restricted to those with an alcohol content of 1 percent or more. Restaurants that previously had to purchase non-alcoholic beverages from supermarkets can now source these beverages directly from wholesalers.

The proposed amendment is anticipated to come into effect as early as next month following a period of legislative review.

"This amendment is intended to address operational shortcomings in the current system," the ministry said. "We will take into account any feedback gathered during the legislative review period and incorporate it into the proposed amendment."

BY SEO JI-EUN [seo.jieun1@joongang.co.kr]