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Daejeon to raise school meal food cost 15% after ranking last nationally
Версия 2: Daejeon city has now announced it is pursuing the 15% increase for 2027, with two business outlets reporting the plan, the projected climb to sixth nationally and first among special and metropolitan cities, and an education office request to lift the average unit price from 3,911 won to 4,429 won.
Коротко
Daejeon is pushing to raise the unit price of food for free school meals by 15% for 2027, after data showed the city spends the least per meal in the country. The increase, still under review, would move Daejeon from last place to sixth among the 17 cities and provinces and first among special and metropolitan cities, according to Newsis and the Seoul Economic Daily. Mayor Heo Tae-jung had ordered support raised to as much as 15%, above the 13.4% the education office requested.
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Daejeon said it is pushing to raise the unit price of food for free school meals by 15% in 2027 compared with the previous year, citing recent increases in ingredient prices and difficulties at school meal sites, according to Newsis and the Seoul Economic Daily. The two outlets reported that if the increase, which they described as under review, is finalised, the city's school meal food cost would rise from last place nationwide to sixth among the country's 17 cities and provinces and first among special and metropolitan cities. [ 4 , 5 ]
The move follows data showing Daejeon's elementary school food cost was 3,620 won per meal as of March, the lowest of the 17 cities and provinces, from education ministry material obtained by Rep. Han Byung-do of the Democratic Party, Yonhap reported. Seoul was highest at 4,553 won, 933 won more per meal, and the gap widened from 775 won a year earlier, an increase of 158 won or 20.4%. Middle school food cost in Daejeon was 4,490 won, second lowest after North Jeolla's 4,468 won, and high school food cost was 4,760 won, also second lowest after North Jeolla's 4,570 won. [ 3 ]
Yonhap attributed the ranking to the small scale of additional local government support. School meal food costs consist of a basic food cost set by the education office plus extra money local governments provide for environmentally friendly and locally produced ingredients. Daejeon's elementary basic food cost of 3,240 won ranked 13th nationally, but extra support of only 380 won pushed the total to last place. Newsis reported that the city's unit price had been mid-level nationally but fell to last as increases lagged ingredient price and inflation rises in 2025 and 2026. [ 3 ]
Mayor Heo Tae-jung, speaking on 6 October at an expanded executive meeting at city hall, said health issues must be taken care of first “no matter how difficult the finances are and how much there is to do”, and that the city should not be “stingy” on school meals while pouring budget into other projects. He asked for the education office's request for a 13.4% increase to be raised to 15%. At a 15% rate, Yonhap reported, the local government's additional meal budget would come to 44.9 billion won, expected to be the largest among special and metropolitan cities next year. [ 3 ]
Newsis reported that the education office had asked to lift the average unit price from 3,911 won to 4,429 won, a 13.4% increase, to bring Daejeon to the national mid-range. The mayor said school meals are “not simply providing a meal” but an educational welfare policy investing in children's health and future, and that he would improve support so students eat healthy meals made with better ingredients. [ 4 ]
The two later reports frame the 15% figure as a city plan and treat the ranking improvement as conditional on final confirmation. The earlier Yonhap report described the same figure as the mayor's instruction at an internal meeting. The documents do not state that a final budget figure has been set or when a decision will be made. [ 4 , 5 ]
Почему это важно
The reports put Daejeon last among the country's 17 cities and provinces on school meal food spending, a gap that widened from a year earlier. If the increase is finalised, it would set the city's school meal budget for 2027 and, the outlets say, lift its ranking sharply. The documents do not state that a final figure has been fixed or when the budget will be decided.
Ключевые факты
- Daejeon said it is pursuing a 15% increase in the unit price of food for free school meals in 2027 compared with the previous year, citing rising ingredient prices and difficulties at school meal sites. [ 4 , 5 ]
- If the 15% increase is finalised, Daejeon's school meal food cost would rise from last nationwide to sixth among the 17 cities and provinces and first among special and metropolitan cities. [ 4 , 5 ]
- Daejeon's elementary school food cost was 3,620 won per meal as of March, the lowest of the 17 cities and provinces, according to education ministry data obtained by Rep. Han Byung-do. [ 3 ]
- Seoul's elementary school food cost was 4,553 won per meal, 933 won more than Daejeon, and the gap widened from 775 won a year earlier. [ 3 ]
- The education office requested a 13.4% increase, raising the average unit price from 3,911 won to 4,429 won. [ 4 ]
- Mayor Heo Tae-jung told an expanded executive meeting at city hall on 6 October that health issues must be handled first even when finances are tight, and asked for support to be raised to 15%. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Daejeon's unit price had been mid-level nationally but fell to last as increases lagged ingredient price and broader inflation rises in 2025 and 2026, Newsis reported. [ 4 ]
- Heo said school meals are an educational welfare policy that invests in children's health and future, and that he would improve support so students eat healthier meals with better ingredients. [ 4 , 5 ]
Подтверждено несколькими источниками
- Daejeon is pursuing a 15% increase in the free school meal food cost unit price for 2027 compared with the previous year. [ 4 , 5 ]
- If the 15% increase is applied, Daejeon's ranking would rise from last nationally to sixth of 17 and first among special and metropolitan cities. [ 4 , 5 ]
- Daejeon's school meal food cost is the lowest in the country; Yonhap reported the elementary per-meal figure as 3,620 won and Newsis described the unit price as having fallen to last place. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- The education office requested a 13.4% increase in food cost support, and the mayor called for up to 15%. [ 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- Mayor Heo Tae-jung said school meals are an educational welfare policy that invests in children's health and future. [ 4 , 5 ]
Пока неясно
- Whether the 15% increase will be finalised and what figure will be set. Both Newsis and the Seoul Economic Daily describe the 15% plan as being pursued or under review, with Newsis saying the ranking projection applies if it is finally confirmed.
- Whether the local government's additional meal budget would reach 44.9 billion won, the highest among special and metropolitan cities next year. This figure and projection appear only in the Yonhap report, which presents it as an expectation if a 15% rate is applied.
- Whether the education office's request will be revised from 13.4% to 15%. The documents report the request and the mayor's higher figure but do not say the education office changed its request.
Что пишут местные СМИ
Хронология, местное время
- Newsis reports that Daejeon's school meal cost is last nationally and that Mayor Heo Tae-jung called for an increase of up to 15%. [ 2 ]
- Yonhap reports the mayor's order at the city hall expanded executive meeting, with per-meal cost data and the 44.9 billion won projection. [ 3 ]
- Newsis reports that Daejeon city is pushing a 15% increase in the free school meal food cost unit price and the projected rise to sixth nationally. [ 4 ]
- The Seoul Economic Daily reports the same 15% plan for 2027 and the ranking projection. [ 5 ]