Use of Substandard Ingredients in Children's Food... Widespread Corruption in Daycare Center Meals

It has been confirmed that meal-related corruption still prevails in daycare centers.

According to the National Assembly Health and Welfare Committee member Han Jeong-ae of the Democratic Party of Korea, based on the National Audit data 'Status of Meal Corruption Inspection in Daycare Centers' submitted by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, 616 cases of meal corruption occurred in daycare centers nationwide over the past five years.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare received 734 reports of meal corruption and conducted inspections from 2018 to June 2023. Looking at the types of corruption that occurred over the five years, the use of substandard ingredients accounted for 329 cases (53.4%), making up more than half. Poor-quality meals accounted for 121 cases (19.6%), and other issues such as inadequate personal hygiene management and facility equipment deficiencies accounted for 166 cases (27%).

By type of daycare facility, private daycare centers accounted for 278 cases (45.1%), and home daycare centers accounted for 268 cases (43.5%), together making up nearly 90% of all meal corruption cases. Public daycare centers and corporate daycare centers followed with 45 cases (7.3%) and 9 cases (1.5%), respectively.

Looking at the status by local government, Gyeonggi Province had 175 cases (28.4%), Seoul 111 cases (18%), and Incheon 59 cases (9.6%), mainly occurring in the metropolitan area. Among non-metropolitan areas, Gyeongnam had the highest number with 44 cases (7.1%).

As for administrative sanctions against daycare centers, there were a total of 590 cases, with corrective orders accounting for 488 cases (82.7%), making up the majority. Administrative guidance followed with 85 cases (14.4%). Additionally, 12 daycare centers (2%) received suspension of operations, and 5 centers (0.9%) received qualification suspensions.

Assembly member Han Jeong-ae emphasized, "It is a serious problem that meal corruption is repeated every year in daycare centers that should provide healthy and safe childcare for infants and toddlers," adding, "The Ministry of Health and Welfare must strive to eradicate meal corruption so that children can be provided with healthy food."