COVID-19 KTX First-Class Car 'No Eating or Drinking'... 3.7 Billion Won Spent on Beverages and Snacks

Published 07 Dec.2021 15:59(KST)

Assemblyman Yoon Jae-gap: "Support Needed for Local Children's Centers and Elderly Welfare Facilities Until the End of COVID-19"

Service items provided in KTX first-class seats (Photo by Yoon Jae-gap)

[Haenam＝Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Hyun] Yoon Jae-gap, a member of the National Assembly (Democratic Party of Korea, Haenam·Wando·Jindo), urged that since eating inside train compartments is prohibited due to COVID-19, the special room beverages and snacks that have been customarily provided should be supported to local children's centers, elderly welfare facilities, and other institutions until the end of the pandemic.

Since October 28 of last year, Korea Railroad Corporation has completely banned eating inside KTX compartments for COVID-19 prevention, but beverages and snacks (nuts, cookies) provided to special room customers have continued to be offered out of custom despite the eating ban.

Last year, the corporation's budget for purchasing beverages and snacks reached a total of 3.7 billion KRW, including 660 million KRW for bottled water and 3.1 billion KRW for nuts and cookies.

Assemblyman Yoon Jae-gap stated, "The nuts and cookies currently provided are products made by small and medium-sized enterprises, and from the perspective of co-prosperity with SMEs, purchases cannot be stopped, so only the minimum quantity is ordered," adding, "The stock of nuts and cookies carried over to 2021 amounts to approximately 270,000 units."

He continued, "Providing snacks out of custom while eating inside compartments is completely prohibited does not make sense," and pointed out, "At least until eating inside compartments becomes possible, flexible management such as donating to local children's centers or elderly welfare facilities is necessary."