SEOUL, Feb. 8 -- A fierce debate is bubbling across South Korea's dining scene as restaurateurs weigh a once-unthinkable move: charging for banchan refills.

The country's free-flowing side dishes - from kimchi to pickled radish - have long been a defining marker of South Korean hospitality.

Now, many owners say they simply can't afford the generosity.

According to Kormedi.com, South Korea's top health care and medical portal, online forums for restaurant operators have been filled with polls on whether to start billing customers for extra servings.

With agflation driving vegetable and ingredient prices to eye-watering levels, small eateries say unlimited banchan is pushing them into the red, especially when paired with budget meals li...