McDonald's Korea pulls popular Chungju Corn Cheese Burger after stone contamination

McDonald's Korea launched the limited‑edition Chungju Corn Cheese Burger on July 9 as part of its "Taste of Korea" campaign celebrating five years of the program. The burger, featuring a mozzarella cheese croquette with locally sourced Chungju glutinous corn, quickly became a hit, selling over 1 million units within two weeks and using about 25 tonnes of the regional corn.

After multiple consumer complaints that small stone fragments were found in the burger’s filling – including reports of broken teeth – the company invoked its internal safety rule, which mandates a product halt after three confirmed incidents. On July 30, McDonald's announced the nationwide discontinuation of the burger, ending sales ahead of the planned August 12 finish. An investigation with ingredient suppliers is under way to determine how the stones entered the product.