Dobong-gu to fund non-GMO food purchases at daycare centers

Seoul's Dobong-gu district announced Tuesday it will spend about 85 million won ($56,200) from its own budget this year to help 129 daycare centers purchase non-GMO food, a move aimed at improving meal quality for young children. Around 3,100 infants and toddlers are expected to benefit.

Dobong-gu was the first district in South Korea to supply non-GMO food to daycare center meals, launching the program in 2018. Items covered include cooking oil, gochujang, doenjang, soup soy sauce, brewed soy sauce and canned corn.

Non-GMO foods minimize the use of genetically modified ingredients and are considered more natural and safer for consumption. This year, the district expanded the program beyond its previous scope — which had been limited to select items such as gochujang and doenjang — to cover all food products bearing a non-GMO label.

Subsidies will be distributed on a sliding scale based on the number of children enrolled at each facility. Centers may purchase ingredients as needed from any supplier, with no designated vendor required.

The district plans to inspect participating daycare centers to ensure funds are used as intended and the budget is managed transparently. "We wanted to give daycare centers a wider range of choices and raise the quality of the meals they serve," a district official said.