"1,000 Won Meal and 1,000 Won Side Dishes"... Gwangsan-gu in Gwangju Launches Welfare Initiative

Gwangsan-gu in Gwangju has launched the '1,000 Won Side Dishes' program, which provides affordable side dishes to vulnerable groups through the '1,000 Won Meal' restaurant. This initiative is part of the '1,000 Won More Value Project,' aimed at easing the burden of meal costs amid high inflation.

The composition of the '1,000 Won Side Dishes' cooked and sold every morning at the '1,000 Won Meal' restaurant in Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju.

According to Gwangsan-gu on July 4, the '1,000 Won Side Dishes' are offered at 1,000 won to vulnerable groups such as seniors aged 65 and older and people with disabilities, and at 2,000 won to general citizens. They are available at four '1,000 Won Meal' restaurants operated by Gwangsan-gu (Usan, Dosan, Wolgok, and Cheomdan branches) from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekdays (until 5 p.m. at the Wolgok branch). The side dishes are cooked fresh every morning in connection with the senior employment program.

This project is made possible by citizen donations (via Happybean) and corporate sponsorships, which provide funding for ingredients and storage refrigerators. Gwangsan-gu is also running a side dish delivery service for seniors in rural areas.

Gwangsan-gu expects that the '1,000 Won Side Dishes' program will become a welfare model that, following the '1,000 Won Meal' for lunch, will also support breakfast and dinner. In addition to this, the '1,000 Won More Value Project' consists of a total of 12 programs, including 1,000 won taxis, hospital accompaniment, and street services.