Seoul National University cafeteria introduces 1 dollar breakfast

There were double the number of students than normal times having breakfast at the school cafeteria, but food providers were serving with all smiles even as they were getting increasingly busy. Students` faces were bright as they could have breakfast for just 1,000 won (90 cents). Seoul National University has introduced a "90 cent breakfast menu" starting from June 1.

The university has lowered the price from 1,700 won (1.5 dollars). Recognizing that many students were skipping breakfast, it has decided the scheme to help students have regular eating habits and to ease their cost burden.

The university advertised the plan early on by hanging up placards among others. Thanks to the effort, 596 students came to have breakfast on the first day, double the normal 330 people. The menu, which includes bulgogi and salted Korean lettuce, has also received good response. "Many students skip breakfast, and this is a really good thing for people like me who live apart from family," said Shi Su-ho, a senior mechanical engineering major.

The losses from price cuts will be filled by the school injecting money to the health and welfare fund. Nonghyup has supported with 100 sacks of 20-kilogram rice as it sympathized with the university`s plan to prevent students from skipping meal. "An annual 85,000 students eat breakfast at the school’s cafeteria and we expect to support up to 200,000 people (in partial meal costs)," said an official at the Dean of Office.

Seoul National University President Sung Nak-in and student body president Joo Mu-yeol had breakfast there at 8:30 a.m. "We prepared this to help students keep healthy body conditions that is necessary for a sound mental health," Sung said. "We will keep think of what our school can do for our students."

windup@donga.com