{"id":2201373,"date":"2023-06-14T18:27:04","date_gmt":"2023-06-14T09:27:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/?p=2201373"},"modified":"2023-06-15T17:56:16","modified_gmt":"2023-06-15T08:56:16","slug":"why-south-koreas-cheap-breakfast-program-leaves-a-bitter-taste-of-inequality","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/2023\/06\/why-south-koreas-cheap-breakfast-program-leaves-a-bitter-taste-of-inequality\/","title":{"rendered":"Why South Korea\u2019s cheap breakfast program leaves a bitter taste of inequality"},"content":{"rendered":"
In a country where prolonged inflation continually drives up food costs, the luxury of consuming three meals daily eludes many South Korean university students. A <\/span>2023 survey<\/span><\/a> conducted by the nation\u2019s largest university coalition reveals that food expenses are the first items most university students pare down in an effort to manage their budgets.<\/span><\/p>\n In response to the rising demand for cost-effective meal options amid skyrocketing inflation, the government\u2019s economically priced breakfast initiative, first launched in 2017, has seen a <\/span>surge in popularity<\/span><\/a> among university students.<\/span><\/p>\n Affectionately coined \u201cThe 1,000 won breakfast,\u201d this program provides university students a comprehensive breakfast meal, typically encompassing rice, soup and several side dishes, all priced at a mere 77 cents (1,000 won).<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI absolutely love the 1,000-won breakfast program at my school. Nowadays, an instant cup of noodles costs more than 1,000 won. I hope the government considers implementing the 1,000-won lunch program as well so that I don\u2019t have to get up too early to beat the queue,\u201d Kim Soo-young, a student at Korea University, told <\/span>Korea Pro<\/span><\/i>.<\/span><\/p>\n Bolstered by its enthusiastic reception among university students, the government recently announced it would <\/span>double<\/span><\/a> the project\u2019s budget to broaden its scope. Consequently, the number of participating universities has swelled from <\/span>41<\/span><\/a> to <\/span>145<\/span><\/a> as of May.<\/span><\/p>\n Yet the program hasn\u2019t escaped political opportunism. The leaders of the country\u2019s two dominant political parties \u2014 the ruling People Power Party (PPP) and the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) \u2014 have made public appearances at universities implementing the program, each <\/span>claiming<\/span><\/a> their party initiated it.<\/span><\/p>\n With the April 2024 legislative election looming, some critics have accused the parties of exploiting the program\u2019s expansion as a <\/span>populist tactic<\/span><\/a> to secure the support of South Korea\u2019s youth voters. Others have cautioned that the program could even contribute to welfare disparities through its focus on college students at wealthy universities in Seoul.<\/span><\/p>\n