Ministry selects 17 local governments for 'Onmaeul' community meal-sharing program

The Ministry of Interior and Safety on Tuesday announced the final selections for its "Onmaeul Dolbom Bapsang," or "whole-village care table," program, a food-sharing initiative designed to prevent social isolation and help restore local communities.

The program was established to strengthen social safety nets through resident-led food sharing and care services, and to revitalize communities in areas struggling with population decline.

Following a competitive application process — the program supports shared community kitchens and care activities led by resident autonomy councils — 17 local governments were selected: Seoul's Gwanak-gu, Busan's Dong-gu, Incheon's Ongjin-gun, Gwangju's Dong-gu, Gyeonggi Province's Gapyeong-gun, Gangwon Province's Jeongseon-gun, North Chungcheong Province's Goesan-gun, South Chungcheong Province's Nonsan, South Chungcheong Province's Dangjin, South Chungcheong Province's Seocheon-gun, North Jeolla Province's Jinan-gun, South Jeolla Province's Gokseong-gun, South Jeolla Province's Boseong-gun, South Jeolla Province's Haenam-gun, North Gyeongsang Province's Yecheon-gun, South Gyeongsang Province's Hadong-gun and South Gyeongsang Province's Hapcheon-gun.

The selected local governments will use shared kitchens tailored to their regional characteristics to provide customized care services, including banchan sharing, health and nutrition counseling, and referrals to psychological counseling.

The ministry will provide each local government with up to 80 million won (about $52,900) in special allocation grants to help establish community hub spaces where residents can gather and connect.

The project runs three years, from June 2026 through June 2029. Resident autonomy councils and other village community organizations will lead the planning and operations, while local governments oversee overall management and provide administrative support.

Gu Bon-geun, head of the Smart Welfare Safety Community Promotion Team, said the ministry would actively work to ensure the program "goes beyond simple food support to become a successful model of community care that restores relationships among residents and prevents social isolation."