Diplomacy Journal David Kendall 기자 |
The Korea Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Information Agency (KAFARIA) has released its 26th FATI (Farm Trend & Issue) Report. The online analysis examines the need for and ways to expand the "1,000 Won Breakfast" program, a government initiative to provide quality rice-based breakfasts to universities and industrial complexes to provide students and workers a 1,000 won meal for approximately $0.70.
The report confirms through data that skipping breakfast and avoiding rice are not merely matters of personal choice but structural issues involving time, health, and economic factors. It highlights how the "1,000 Won Breakfast" serves to alleviate these problems.
Analysis showed sustained positive online sentiment regarding the program's objectives, along with clear demand for expansion. Notably, online mentions increased in areas with concentrated university populations. Beneficiaries also showed strong interest in convenient yet substantial rice-based one-dish menu options.
According to SNS data analysis from 2025, the primary factors behind skipping breakfast and avoiding rice included health and weight management concerns as well as digestive discomfort. Nearly a quarter (24.9%) of respondents checked “no particular reason” when asked why they skipped breakfast.
The reasons for skipping breakfast at home, workplace, and school vary, according to the report. Cleaning, dishwashing, and childcare are the primary causes at home. In the workplace, office conditions, digestion concerns, and other environmental factors led to meal skipping. Time constraints and health management were common factors across all locations.
Based on these findings, the report calls for a diversified menu strategy that adds "healthfulness" and "comfort" to "heartiness," addressing participants' health management and digestive concerns. This approach is also expected to increase consumption of processed rice products. Additionally, the different factors that affect breakfast-skipping by location should be considered when designing future expansions of the "1,000 Won Breakfast" program.
KAFARIA Director Yoon Dong-jin stated, "This analysis confirms that the '1,000 Won Breakfast' program goes beyond simple meal support to serve as a life-oriented policy that alleviates time burdens and health concerns for young people. We will continue to carefully reflect public demand and field opinions to achieve the dual goals of reducing breakfast skipping and expanding rice consumption."
The full report is available in the resource section of KAFARIA's website (www.epis.or.kr).
The KAFARIA is a quasi-governmental organization responsible for cultivating talent in the agriculture and food sector and supporting activities that promote rural lifestyles and Korean agricultural products.
KAFARIA informatization projects apply information and communication technology (ICT), such as smart farms, to agricultural sites and policies related to rural migration and international trade and cooperation.
