As part of a project called “Muslim-Friendly Korea,” the South Korean tourism agency will increase the number of restaurants that sell halal food in the nation by 117 to 252.
 
The Korea Tourism Organization is pursuing the project to enable tourists from Muslim countries to enjoy meals in South Korea without having to worry about the ingredients.
 
The organization has divided Muslim restaurants into four categories, including official halal-certified, self-certified, Muslim-friendly and pork-free, in order to provide more choices for tourists.
 
A halal-certified restaurant is a restaurant that has secured certification from an outside agency. A self-certified restaurant is a restaurant guaranteed by its owner to provide halal food, while a Muslim-friendly restaurant provides some dishes that do not go against Muslim dietary restrictions.
 
Out of the 117 newly added restaurants, 75 percent are in regions outside of Seoul. Seventy-one of them are in the Gyeongsang Provinces.
 
The tourism agency plans to hold an event entitled “a halal restaurant week” in September and October to promote the restaurants.