Gwanak District Wins Grand Prize at "Korea Dietary Education Awards"

High Praise for Hands-On Education Utilizing Domestic Agricultural Products

Gwanak District in Seoul (District Mayor Park Junhee) announced on October 29 that it had received the Grand Prize, the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Award, at the "2025 Korea Dietary Education Awards."

The "Korea Dietary Education Awards" is an annual event held since 2018 to recognize individuals and organizations that have contributed to improving the nation's dietary habits and promoting a healthy food culture. The event aims to raise public awareness of the importance of dietary education.

Scenes of dietary education for infants and toddlers in Gwanak District. Provided by Gwanak District.

This year, the education program operated by the Gwanak District Children's Foodservice Management Support Center was awarded the Grand Prize for its contributions to fostering healthy eating habits among children and adolescents and promoting sustainable dietary practices. In particular, the active use of domestic agricultural products in the program received high praise.

The Gwanak District Children's Foodservice Management Support Center, which opened on December 1, 2021, was established to support hygiene, safety, and nutrition management for small-scale child foodservice facilities without dedicated nutritionists. The center is operated under a private consignment system by the district.

Since May 2022, the center has conducted a total of 1,228 sessions of "hands-on customized dietary education using domestic agricultural products," with 13,477 participants to date. The program consists of practical activities such as making carrot dolls, creating broccoli mirrors, and decorating potatoes, allowing children to directly explore and experience ingredients that are often avoided. In addition, the program introduces cooking activities that can be continued at home, further enhancing its educational effectiveness.

Through these experiences, children have become less resistant to unfamiliar ingredients and have been able to develop healthy and sustainable eating habits. Furthermore, the program is significant in that it instills an appreciation and familiarity with domestic agricultural products among adolescents, who are future consumers.

Park Junhee, Mayor of Gwanak District, stated, "Winning this Grand Prize is the result of our district's recognition of the importance of dietary education and our continued investment in related policies. It is an achievement made possible through the efforts of the center and the cooperation of local foodservice facilities." He added, "We will continue to expand customized dietary education for all residents and activate experiential programs, so that we can provide a safe and healthy meal environment for children. The district will spare no effort in providing full support for these initiatives."