Kim Dongyeon Stresses "No Retreat from Eco-Friendly School Meals" Amid School Meal Procurement Dispute

Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Dongyeon made it clear that there will be no retreat from eco-friendly school meals during his tenure as governor. This statement reflects his firm stance amid recent conflicts between the Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education and civic groups over the procurement methods for school meal ingredients.

On August 13, Governor Kim visited an eco-friendly chive farm in Baegam-myeon, Cheoin-gu, Yongin, to listen to the voices of those on the ground.

At the site, Governor Kim participated in chive harvesting and packaging with producers, a school meal parent monitoring group, and nutrition teachers, directly inspecting the production process and quality of eco-friendly agricultural products.

Governor Kim reiterated the position he expressed during a meeting with the joint countermeasures committee on August 6, stating, "The Gyeonggi-style eco-friendly food system is not merely an administrative matter, but a responsibility and trust we must leave for the next generation."

He added, "Although the Office of Education's policy has been put on hold, it has not been completely withdrawn. I will stand with you until the end to protect the health and future of our children," and emphasized, "As long as I am here, there will be no retreat from eco-friendly school meals in Gyeonggi Province."

Park Kihyun, the owner of the chive farm, expressed his gratitude, saying, "I receive a basic monthly income of 150,000 won from Gyeonggi Province and have been selected for the 'Gyeonggi Province Agriculture and Fisheries 333 Project,' through which I receive expert consulting. This support from the province is a great help in sustaining eco-friendly agriculture."

Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Dongyeon visited a chive farm in Yongin on the 13th and held a meeting regarding eco-friendly meal ingredients, then took a commemorative photo with the attendees. Photo by Gyeonggi Province

The 'Agriculture and Fisheries 333 Project' is one of the core agricultural policies of the eighth popularly elected administration, aiming to increase agricultural and fisheries income by 30% within three years by providing tailored support to 310 farmers and fishers.

Last year, through nine rounds of auditions, 310 farmers and fishers from 21 cities and counties were selected. Gyeonggi Province will invest 9 billion won in these recipients by 2026, providing management analysis, one-on-one customized consulting, educational programs, and support for income growth infrastructure.

Previously, Governor Kim mediated the conflict between the provincial Office of Education, which sought to change the procurement method for school meal ingredients from private contracts to competitive bidding and to limit the number of private contracts, and civic groups opposing this policy.

On August 6, Governor Kim requested Superintendent Lim Taehee to put on hold the measures to change the school meal ingredient procurement method. On August 7, he also joined a protest rally in front of the Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education, expressing his support for the joint countermeasures committee. He then held a meeting with the committee in his office and promised to work toward resolving the issue.