Yangcheon District to Provide Meal Support for 1,100 Vulnerable Children During Summer Vacation

Meal Allowance Increased to 10,000 Won per Meal

Yangcheon District in Seoul (District Mayor Lee Kijae) announced on July 19 that it will implement a "Summer Vacation Child Meal Support Program" for around 1,100 children from vulnerable groups who are at risk of missing meals due to the suspension of school meals during the summer break.

Notice for the '2026 Child Meal Support Project'. Provided by Yangcheon District Office.

The recipients are children under the age of 18 from households with 60% or less of the median income, who are at risk of food insecurity at home due to absence of guardians, illness, or financial difficulties. Last month, the district operated an intensive application period from June 29 to July 10, and will finalize the list of beneficiaries through a qualification review, including rolling applications.

This year, the meal allowance was increased to 10,000 won per meal. The district explained that this was to reflect rising prices and increased dining-out costs. During the vacation period, lunch support is provided as a standard; however, if deemed necessary, up to three meals per day can be provided.

The method of meal provision varies depending on the child's circumstances. General recipients will have their meal allowance credited to the "Dream Tree Card" (child meal card), which can be used at 2,594 affiliated restaurants in the district, or can receive lunch box deliveries up to twice a week. Children who use community child centers are provided with group meals at each center.

To prevent food poisoning during the summer, the district is also strengthening hygiene management. If sanitation-related complaints arise at Dream Tree Card-affiliated restaurants or inspections are deemed necessary, on-site inspections are conducted in cooperation with relevant departments. For lunch box manufacturers, their in-house hygiene inspection results are checked and, when necessary, on-site inspections are also carried out. The 21 community child centers conduct hygiene inspections and food safety education in cooperation with the Yangcheon District Child Meal Management Support Center.

During last year's summer break, the district supported meal services for a total of 1,153 children—including 580 general recipients and 573 community child center users.

District Mayor Lee Kijae stated, "Since school meals are suspended during the vacation period, this is a time when we need to pay even closer attention to the dietary needs of children from vulnerable groups. We will continue to proactively identify and carefully support children in need, expanding sustained support to ensure that no child in Yangcheon falls through the cracks."

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