Gyeonggi Province Increases School Meal Subsidy for Underfed Children by 14.3%...Reflects Concern Over Unrealistic Meal Costs

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Park No-hoon] Starting August 10, Gyeonggi Province will increase the school meal subsidy for underfed children by 14.3%, from 7,000 won per meal to 8,000 won.

According to the Province on the 8th, this decision was made after recent consultations with the Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education, cities and counties, and other relevant parties.

This marks the first increase in 1 year and 3 months since the meal subsidy was raised to 7,000 won in May of last year.

As of June this year, Gyeonggi Province's consumer price increase rate (compared to the same month last year) stands at 5.9%, and the average price of five dining-out items in the Province (naengmyeon, bibimbap, kalguksu, kimchi jjigae, and jajangmyeon) is 7,772 won, prompting numerous criticisms that the current 7,000 won meal subsidy in Gyeonggi Province fails to reflect current market realities.

The Province initially discussed with the Provincial Office of Education and cities and counties to schedule the meal subsidy increase for September, but following Governor Kim Dong-yeon's directive to "accelerate the timing of the meal price increase considering inflation," the Province conducted additional consultations and decided to move the increase to August 10.

With this increase decision, approximately 72,000 vulnerable youth under 18 in the Province will receive 8,000 won per meal in subsidies.

Meal subsidy payment methods include the Children's Meal Card (G-Dream Card), meal delivery services, and group meals at local children's centers, with cities and counties selecting the appropriate method for their areas.

The total budget required for school meal support for underfed children in Gyeonggi Province, including the meal price increase and lunch support for distance learning days due to COVID-19, is 103.8 billion won (provincial funds 27.8 billion won, city and county funds 64.8 billion won, Provincial Office of Education 11.2 billion won).

The provincial funds have already been secured through surplus in this year's main budget.

Kim Mi-sung, Director of the Women and Family Bureau of Gyeonggi Province, stated: "This year's government-recommended meal subsidy is 7,000 won, and Gyeonggi Province's meal subsidy decision reflects a proactive approach considering recent price increases and holds significance. Through this meal subsidy increase, we hope to create conditions where underfed children can enjoy nutritious and balanced meals without worry," she added.

Meanwhile, the Province expanded children's meal card usage locations from approximately 11,000 in 2020 to currently 206,000 by automatically linking the meal card with general restaurants (excluding bars, pojangmacha, and cafes) participating in BC Card starting August 31, 2020.

Since March this year, the single-use limit for children's meal cards has been increased from the existing 14,000 won to 20,000 won. Since last year, the Province has made efforts to prevent children from experiencing discrimination through children's meal card usage by completely replacing card designs from magnetic stripe to general check card design embedded with integrated circuit (IC) chip.