Korea doubles budget for 1,000-won breakfast at universities

A student lines up for a 1,000-won breakfast at Kyung Hee University's cafeteria in Dongdaemun District, eastern Seoul, in March last year. [NEWS1]

The government will double its budget to help universities serve 1,000-won ($0.75) breakfast to students this year.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said Thursday it will use 4.85 billion won ($3.6 million) to fund universities' 1,000-won breakfast programs this year. The figure is up 94 percent on-year.

The ministry will decide on which universities will get the funding next month.

A total of 144 universities participated in the program and received funding in 2023, and the ministry expects over 200 to participate in the program this year.

The program allows students to have breakfast for 1,000 won at their university cafeterias, aiming to help those on a tight budget and to boost declining rice consumption.

The government offers 1,000 to 2,000 won per meal, while students pay 1,000 won. Universities subsidize the rest.

With the increased budget, around 4.5 million university students will be able to have the 1,000-won meal this year. That's up 93 percent on year.

"The expansion of the program is part of the government's efforts to help students feel less burdened by food costs amid high prices, allowing them to have a warm and hearty meal," Jeon Han-young, head of the ministry's food grain policy bureau, said.

"We hope students can grow healthy habits of having breakfast every day, along with helping to increase rice consumption and maintain a stable supply and demand system for rice."

BY LEE TAE-HEE [lee.taehee2@joongang.co.kr]