"I Love Milkit" KT Supports Small Businesses in Gwanghwamun

[Asia Economy Reporter Joselgina] KT has rolled up its sleeves to help restaurants whose sales have plummeted due to the impact of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) since the beginning of the year.

On the 19th, KT announced that it will sell meal kits (Meal Kit, easy-to-cook meals) made by restaurants near Gwanghwamun at the KT Gwanghwamun building. This is to support the Gwanghwamun alley commercial district, which has been hit hard by the prolonged social distancing level 2.5.

Accordingly, KT will sell 3,000 meal kits packaged for easy cooking to its employees until the 2nd of next month. Employees and the company will each bear half of the purchase cost by buying meal kits for 10,000 won from 20 restaurants near Gwanghwamun. In addition, in cooperation with the Korea Central Volunteer Center, 1,500 meal kits will be donated to vulnerable groups. The plan is to sell and donate an average of 300 meal kits daily over 15 days.

The restaurants participating in the meal kit production are those that formed ties through KT’s ‘Love Prepayment’ campaign held in September last year. According to a survey KT conducted from January 4 to 8 on 50 restaurants near the Gwanghwamun building, they responded that their sales had decreased by more than 70% over the past three months due to the resurgence of COVID-19.

The 20 participating restaurants are alley restaurants with signature menus such as duck jumulleok, braised cutlassfish, stir-fried pork, and army stew. The meal kits include the ‘Chef’s Recipe’ containing cooking secrets so that consumers can cook the dishes themselves.

Han Juseon (60), the owner of a duck jumulleok restaurant near Gwanghwamun, said, “There wasn’t a single day last year when I felt at ease, but especially recently, missing the year-end and New Year’s peak seasons made things even more bleak. KT opened a sales channel by producing and selling meal kits following the ‘Love Prepayment,’ which has eased my worries about sales even a little.”

Lee Seonju, Executive Director of KT ESG Management Promotion Office, said, “We hope the ‘Love Meal Kit’ project, prepared with one heart and mind by the company and its employees, will be a practical help to nearby small business owners and a small seed of hope. KT will continue to expand activities filled with warm messages and hearts to practice sharing and solve social problems.”