College students turn to 1,000 won breakfasts to beat inflation

College students burdened by inflation are enthusiastically praising the government’s cheaply priced breakfast policy.

Dubbed the 1,000 won breakfast, this affordable meal typically includes rice, soup and several side dishes, all for just 1,000 won ($0.77). The government subsidizes the meal, while the universities foot the remaining cost.

Although the 1,000 won breakfast policy was introduced in 2017 to reduce the number of students skipping breakfast and to promote rice consumption, demand for affordable meals is higher than ever.

“I have to get up early to beat the crowds, but it’s worth it for the affordable breakfast,” said a 23-yearold student at Korea University, who asked to be identified by her surname Jeong. “The competition is fierce — there’s usually a line waiting when I get there — but the meal is great value. I hope the program continues.”

In a 2022 survey by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, 98.7 percent of university students who responded hoped that the 1,000 won breakfast policy would continue. Additionally, 91.8 percent of respondents said they had come to realize the importance of eating breakfast thanks to the policy.

The food ministry announced on Wednesday that it plans to more than double the business scale of the government’s breakfast policy. Currently, 690,000 students across 41 universities benefit from the policy. But after the announcement, the budget will increase from 780 million won to 1.58 billion won, and the number of beneficiaries will increase to 1.5 million students.