Assemblyman Jang Jong-tae Proposes Amendment to Elderly Welfare Act to Expand Five-Day Weekly Meal Support at Senior Centers

Establishing Grounds for Additional National Support for Corrosion Purchase and Labor Costs

Jang Jong-tae, Member of the National Assembly / Office of the Member

Jang Jong-tae, a member of the National Assembly (Democratic Party of Korea·Daejeon Seo-gu Gap), announced that he has taken the lead in proposing a partial amendment to the 'Senior Welfare Act' to expand national support for five-day-a-week meal services at senior centers.

The amendment adds a provision allowing the state and local governments to subsidize the cost of purchasing supplementary food and labor costs necessary to provide lunch meals five days a week at senior centers. Under the current law, the state and local governments are only allowed to subsidize the cost of purchasing grains and heating and cooling expenses for senior centers.

Additionally, a special provision was established to allow senior centers to use any savings from reduced grain, supplementary food purchase costs, and heating and cooling expenses for purchasing supplementary food, enabling higher quality meals to be provided to the elderly.

Assemblyman Jang Jong-tae said, “If this amendment is passed and high-quality meals can be provided regardless of the elderly’s place of residence, it is expected to have a significant effect not only in preventing senior hunger but also in promoting health.”