Number of Child Meal Card Affiliates in South Jeolla Ranks Lowest Nationwide

Criticism Mounts Over Program's Ineffectiveness in 21 Cities and Counties Outside Suncheon
Kaeho Lee: "Guarantee Children's Right to Choose Meals... Expansion of the Program Needed"

Kaeho Lee, member of the Democratic Party of Korea.

Serious regional disparities have sparked controversy over the way meal support is provided to children at risk of malnutrition in South Jeolla Province. In particular, South Jeolla ranks at the very bottom nationwide in the number of affiliated stores for the child meal card program, which is designed to allow children to choose their own meals. Criticism is mounting as these affiliated stores are almost entirely concentrated in Suncheon, rendering the program virtually ineffective in practice.

According to data submitted by Kaeho Lee, a Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker representing Damyang, Hampyeong, Yeonggwang, and Jangseong in South Jeolla, to the Ministry of Health and Welfare for the National Assembly audit on October 1, there are only 495 affiliated stores for the child meal card program in South Jeolla. This is the lowest among all 17 provinces and metropolitan cities nationwide. The more serious issue is that all 495 affiliated stores are concentrated solely in Suncheon. As a result, in 21 out of 22 cities and counties in South Jeolla, the child meal card program is not being properly implemented.

Other local governments support children at risk of malnutrition through meal box or food delivery services and food vouchers. However, compared to the card program, which allows children to choose their own menu and dine where they need, these alternatives fall significantly short in terms of convenience and the children's right to choose. Experts have pointed out that such conditions structurally infringe on the meal rights of children in these regions.

Assemblyman Lee stated, "We must create an environment where children can choose their own meals at restaurants or convenience stores, rather than relying on meal delivery or food vouchers," and urged, "The central government should work closely with local governments to improve the convenience of the child meal card program and actively expand it to all regions nationwide, including South Jeolla."

Meanwhile, there are approximately 538,200 affiliated stores for the child meal card program nationwide. By region, Gyeonggi Province has 179,049 stores, Seoul has 92,940, Busan has 35,976, North Gyeongsang Province has 30,643, and Daegu has 30,584, in that order.

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