급식카드 안내 못 받은 ‘결식 청소년’ 형제…317만원 지원금 놓쳐

In a scandal caused by poor office work at a Jeju public center, vulnerable young boys are unable to receive school meal support. According to the Jeju Province Auditor's report on 2024-2025, 36 children living in Jeju-si's Dae2-dong and Noheung-dong and Gyeonggi-si's Dong-hong-dong faced financial difficulties due to their parents being single, having only one parent, earning below 52% of the national average income, or facing emergency welfare.

These children were supposed to receive 2,000 won per day (3,000 won during school breaks) as school meal support. However, the 317,700 won worth of support given to 36 children was wasted, as they were unable to use the equivalent of 97,600 won per child. The 3 districts affected by this issue house a total of 1,637 vulnerable children, who are supposed to receive a monthly check of their school meal card usage through the 'Jeju Child School Meal Card System'.

However, officials only contacted the 50% of children who did not use the funds in the first three quarters of the year, without conducting any inspections or home visits. Consequently, 9 children were unable to utilize any of the year's support. The auditor revealed that the family might have incorrectly assumed the child's loss of eligibility due to the missed warning about using the school meal card.