‘Cheonwon One Meal’ to Overcome High Inflation, Increasing Senior Job Opportunities

Opening of 'Cheonwon Hankki' Usan Branch Linked to Senior Job Opportunities in Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju

Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City, has launched a new project that combines senior job opportunities with a program supporting vulnerable groups struggling in the high inflation era by providing a hearty meal for just 1,000 won through community sharing and participation.

On the 10th, Gwangsan-gu opened the first ‘Cheonwon Han-kki’ restaurant (171beon-gil 52, Saam-ro, Usan-dong). ‘Cheonwon Han-kki’ was initiated to offer a warm lunch at an affordable price to vulnerable groups facing difficulties due to high inflation and worsening economic conditions, while also providing job opportunities for seniors.

The restaurant is operated through a collaboration between Gwangsan-gu and the Gwangsan Senior Club, based on the senior job project (market-type) and community sponsorship. Previously, CN De Mer Wedding Hall donated 100 million won to support Gwangsan-gu’s ‘Cheonwon Han-kki’ project.

The main dish sold at the ‘Cheonwon Han-kki’ restaurant is bean sprout soup with rice (Kongnamul Gukbap). It is offered for 1,000 won to seniors aged 65 and over, people with disabilities, and single-person welfare households aged 40 and above. Other citizens can enjoy a warm bowl of soup for just 3,000 won. To coexist with the local commercial district, the restaurant operates only during lunchtime on weekdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., excluding weekends and public holidays. The daily sales quantity is limited to 100 bowls.

The restaurant work is handled by seniors participating in the senior job program. Currently, there are 10 participating seniors, with additional recruitment planned within this month.

Considering the purpose of helping vulnerable groups, Gwangsan-gu first opened the ‘Cheonwon Han-kki’ restaurant in Usan-dong, where many basic livelihood security recipients, seniors, and people with disabilities reside.

Starting with the Usan branch, there are plans to expand ‘Cheonwon Han-kki’ this year, focusing on areas with high demand from vulnerable groups.

Community-led efforts to support meals for neighbors in need are also becoming active. Beginning with the ‘1,000-won Love Happy Table’ operated in cooperation between the Songjeong 1-dong Community Security Council (Chairman Gi Young-cheol, hereafter Jisahyeop) and the ‘Gasuni-ne’ restaurant, the Cheomdan 1-dong Jisahyeop (Chairman Park Soon-ae) introduced the ‘Good Restaurant,’ which offers 1,000-won lunches to neighbors in need through a relay participation of local alleyway businesses.

Following this, the Cheomdan 2-dong Jisahyeop (Chairman Ahn Byung-mo) began operating the ‘Real Table (Sincerely Prepared Jjajang Table),’ providing 1,000 homemade jjajang meals annually to neighbors in need for free, while voluntarily receiving 1,000-won meal donations. On the 7th, the Songjeong 2-dong Jisahyeop (Chairman Park Ha-gu) announced the launch of ‘Song2 Song2 Meal Friends,’ which collaborates with local restaurants to provide nutritious meals to elderly people living alone four times a month.

Other districts are also planning projects to support meals for socially vulnerable groups, so it is expected that privately led ‘1,000-won meal’ initiatives will increase further.

Park Byung-gyu, Mayor of Gwangsan-gu, stated, “The ‘Cheonwon Han-kki’ project, which was first started by residents and the community, is evolving into a program linked with senior jobs and spreading throughout Gwangsan-gu. We will actively support the sustainable sharing of hearty meals prepared by the local community to help neighbors struggling during these difficult times of high inflation.”

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