"Don't Worry About Lunch During Vacation"... Seoul Rolls Out "Seoul Child's Nutritional Meal" Program

Meal Support and Educational Programs... Launching Korea’s First Initiative
Integrated Care Service for Elementary Students Aged 6 to 12
Operated at 226 Community Child Centers and More

The Seoul Metropolitan Government is launching the "Seoul Child’s Nutritional Meal" support program, the first of its kind in Korea, to ensure children can have lunch and receive care even during school vacations. The city also plans to operate additional programs linked to the meal support, going beyond just providing food.

On the morning of July 23, Seoul Mayor Oh Sehoon visited the Gajaeul Community Child Center, a public children’s center located in Seodaemun-gu, to inspect the on-site operation of the "Seoul Child’s Nutritional Meal" program.

The "Seoul Child’s Nutritional Meal" program is an integrated care service that provides elementary school students with healthy lunch meals and specialized programs such as play, reading, and experiential activities at local community child centers and Our Neighborhood Childcare Centers during school vacations. As a core initiative under the "Seoul Child Walk Together UP Project," which Mayor Oh announced in April, it expands upon the "vacation care" already offered at community child centers and Our Neighborhood Childcare Centers.

Launched on July 20, in line with the start of summer vacation, the "Seoul Child’s Nutritional Meal" program will operate for a total of five weeks, until August 21. For the first session, which started this week, 402 children applied at 170 centers. For the second session, with applications closing on July 21, 700 children signed up at all 226 operating centers.

The "Seoul Child’s Nutritional Meal" program is available to all children aged 6 to 12, or any elementary school student in need of lunch during school vacations, at their nearest community child center or Our Neighborhood Childcare Center. The usage fee is set at 10,000 won per session, easing the financial burden for families raising elementary school-aged children.

Priority admission is given to children who may face care gaps during vacations, such as those from dual-income or single-parent households. If there are more applicants than spaces under the same conditions, selection will be made in the order of application. For the first and fifth sessions, where the number of operating days per center is less than five due to the vacation schedule, the fee will be calculated pro rata, based on 2,000 won per day of operation.

Centers will also run their own unique linked programs. Services range from basic hygiene education such as proper handwashing and tooth brushing to physical activities, intermittent reading sessions, and VR experiences, providing diverse integrated care services that foster children's creative development.

Present at the event were members of the "G3 Seoul Planning Committee" for inclusive growth: Professor Jeong Soon-dul (Ewha Womans University, Department of Social Welfare), Committee member Kim Mijeong (former Co-Chair of Citizens Together), and Committee member Seo Mun-minkyung (former Co-Chair of Citizens Together). The "G3 Seoul Planning Committee" is a core platform for public-private cooperation, tasked with formulating Seoul’s vision and strategy for the next four years and crafting the key policy blueprint for the ninth municipal administration.

Mayor Oh stated, "The Seoul Metropolitan Government has been paying close attention to the wide range of concerns and difficulties faced by parents, from childbirth and childcare to care after children reach school age. We are proactively implementing a more thorough and robust care policy. We will expand this program so that not a single child in need of healthy meals and safe care during vacations is left out, and make Seoul a city where parents can feel secure."

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