The government is reviewing a pilot project to expand the "1,000 Won Breakfast" program, currently implemented for university students, to workers.
On the 12th, the Korea National Daily reported, citing multiple government officials, that the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs is actively considering a pilot project for the "1,000 Won Breakfast" aimed at workers.
If the pilot project is included in the government's second supplementary budget, there is a high possibility that some workers will receive the 1,000 Won Breakfast by the end of this year.
The "1,000 Won Breakfast" program is designed so that the government and breakfast providers share a certain cost, allowing beneficiaries to eat breakfast for just 1,000 Won.
Originally launched in 2017 to encourage breakfast consumption and address the issue of surplus rice supply, it has thus far only benefited university students.
Workers in industrial complexes are expected to be the first recipients of the benefits.
Earlier, President Lee Jae-myung promised on the 11th of last month at a presidential campaign event, "We will provide 1,000 Won Breakfasts to university students and workers."
This pledge was specified in the campaign manifesto released on the 28th of last month as item number eight of the cost-of-living reduction measures, titled "Support for the 1,000 Won Breakfast Program for Workers in National Industrial Complexes."
Accordingly, the pilot project promoted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs is expected to prioritize workers in industrial complexes as the target beneficiaries.
Similar to the program for university students, it is expected that the government will support 1,000 to 2,000 Won per meal, with the companies covering the remaining costs after the workers pay 1,000 Won.
According to the Korea Industrial Complex Corporation, the number of workers in national industrial complexes is estimated to reach about 2.3 million as of the fourth quarter of 2024.
The Korea National Daily reported that the budget for the worker "1,000 Won Breakfast" pilot project is currently proposed as one of the items in the government's second supplementary budget and is undergoing a review process.
If it is ultimately included in the supplementary budget, the worker "1,000 Won Breakfast" may become a reality within the year.
However, there are also concerns about whether it is appropriate to allocate the budget for the supplementary budget, which aims to stimulate the economy.
Meanwhile, in a satisfaction survey conducted last year regarding the "1,000 Won Breakfast" for university students, the awareness of the importance of breakfast increased to 99.0%, up 8.6 percentage points from the previous year (90.4%).
In the 2023 survey, 98.7% responded that they would like the program to continue, indicating a high level of satisfaction with the initiative.
Image source: A "1,000 Won Breakfast" sold at the cafeteria in the student union at Korea University in Anam-dong, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul. March 20, 2023 / News1. Students having breakfast with the "1,000 Won Breakfast" program at the student union of Korea University in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, on the morning of March 29, 2024. / News1, Reference photos for understanding the article / gettyimagesbank.
