Seoul City Offers 20% Discount on GS25 Food for Food-Insecure Children...Nation's First Online Payment Introduced

City, GS Retail and Shinhan Card Sign 'Dream Tree Card Online Payment System Construction MOU' on 21st

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] Starting June 20, children experiencing food insecurity using the Kkum Namu Card in Seoul will be able to purchase food items at GS25 convenience stores at a 20% discounted price. This will allow them to buy lunchboxes priced between 4,000 and 10,000 KRW at a more affordable rate, enabling more balanced meals.

On the 20th, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced that, in collaboration with Shinhan Card and GS Retail, it will introduce the nation's first system allowing children using the Kkum Namu Card to pay online for high-quality convenience store food at a 20% discount and pick it up at their preferred time and convenience store.

Accordingly, on the 21st, Seoul will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Shinhan Card and GS Retail to officially promote the project, supporting meal provision for children experiencing food insecurity and activating private social contribution.

Currently, 29,559 children in Seoul are eligible for meal support, receiving meals through various methods such as local children's centers, social welfare centers, restaurants, convenience stores, and lunchbox delivery services.

Among them, 16,987 children (57%) use the Kkum Namu Card at restaurants or convenience stores. Last year, the amount spent at convenience stores using the Kkum Namu Card was 16.7 billion KRW, accounting for nearly half (49%) of the total 33.6 billion KRW spent.

Seoul has increased the support amount from 6,000 KRW to 7,000 KRW per meal since July 2021. However, due to recent sharp rises in dining costs, it has become difficult for children to have nutritious meals. Seoul, together with GS Retail and Shinhan Card, has held multiple business consultations to enhance the convenience of using the Kkum Namu Card for children experiencing food insecurity and to provide high-quality food, leading to the development of the ‘Kkum Namu Card Online Payment System’ and establishing a cooperative relationship.

Seoul expects that through this system, many children using convenience stores will overcome nutritional imbalances and experience less stigma and inconvenience when using the Kkum Namu Card.

The online payment service is scheduled to begin operation as early as June 20 after system development. Kim Seon-soon, Director of the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s Women and Family Policy Office, said, “We first thank GS Retail and Shinhan Card for participating in the Kkum Namu Card improvement project for low-income children experiencing food insecurity, and we welcome participation from other convenience store companies interested in this project. Through this agreement, we are pleased that children experiencing food insecurity can have more nutritious meals at nearby convenience stores at discounted prices. We will continue to make sustained efforts to ensure no shortage of support for the healthy growth of these children.”