Jongno-gu partners with local restaurants to feed children at risk of skipping meals

Jongno-gu in Seoul announced Tuesday it is launching a child meal support program called "Ddabap Ddabap," under which local restaurants provide free or discounted meals to children at risk of going hungry.

The district is partnering with area restaurants to run the program, which aims to prevent children from skipping meals during summer break when school cafeterias are closed and to support balanced eating habits.

To establish a regulatory foundation for the program, the district amended a related ordinance and selected the name "Ddabap Ddabap Jongno-gu Child Meal Cooperative" through an internal competition. The name conveys the idea of ensuring children receive a warm meal every day, and reflects residents and small-business owners working together to build a neighborhood where no child goes hungry.

Five restaurants are currently participating. When a child eligible for meal support pays with a Kkumnamu Card — a government-issued prepaid card for low-income children — the restaurants provide meals at a discount or free of charge up to a set amount.

The district has distributed official "Ddabap Ddabap" certification signs to participating restaurants. Scanning the QR code on each sign lets users check discount details and instructions for each eatery.

The district plans to expand the number of participating restaurants and broaden its child meal support system. Restaurants wishing to join can contact the child care team at Jongno-gu's child welfare division.

"I am deeply grateful to the merchants who have stepped up to share what they have," Jongno-gu Mayor Yoo Chan-jong said. "We will continue to bring more restaurants on board and make Jongno a place where no child has to worry about going hungry."