Ban on White Milk Disliked by Soldiers and Poor Side Dishes from Veterans Organizations

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] The white milk supplied to military personnel is disappearing from military dining tables. Due to declining preference among soldiers, the military authorities have decided to phase it out decisively.

According to the comprehensive military meal improvement plan announced by the military authorities on the 14th, white milk will be served 393 times annually this year, reduced to 313 times next year (80% of this year's standard), 235 times in 2023 (60%), and the supply standard will be completely abolished from 2024.

This means that white milk will no longer be supplied mandatorily but only upon soldiers' request. Accordingly, soldiers' choice will be expanded to various dairy products such as chocolate and strawberry milk, and soy milk.

To promote rice consumption, the system requiring processed foods such as hamburger buns, hot dog buns, hardtack, and rice noodles to mandatorily contain rice will also be abolished, and from next year, only ready-made kimchi will be supplied to reduce the burden on cooks and ensure taste.

The procurement of major food ingredients, which was done through private contracts with agricultural, fishery, and livestock cooperatives, will be switched entirely to a competitive bidding system after 2025. Existing private contracts with agricultural, livestock, and fishery cooperatives will be maintained until 2024, but the contract volume will be gradually reduced to 70% next year, 50% in 2023, and 30% in 2024 compared to this year's basic meal volume, and will switch to full competitive procurement in 2025.

The government plans to allow large company products to be procured from next year for 16 items including canned goods, noodles, sauces, and fermented sauces, which previously only used small and medium-sized enterprise products.

In particular, the private contracts for meal supplies with veterans and welfare organizations, which had been problematic, will be abolished from next year. Currently, some items such as kimchi are supplied through private contracts by the Sangigun-gyeonghoe (Association of Disabled Veterans). The clothing items allocated to veterans and welfare organizations through private contracts will also be gradually reduced from next year and fully switched to competitive procurement after 2025.

A Ministry of National Defense official said, "Some items supplied to veterans' organizations had low satisfaction among soldiers, raising issues regarding the protection of soldiers' basic rights," adding, "We will seek direct support measures with related ministries for those who deserve national respect."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.