No.164 / Jun 12, 2023
From April 24, breakfast rice bowls are available at the dormitory cafeteria only at the cost of 1,000 won. Ajou University is providing the service through a collaborative business with the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA). This scheme has been implemented owing to the high percentage of fasting in the morning. According to the statistics from the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), around 39% of people in their 20s skip breakfast daily. There are numerous reasons behind this high rate, but one significant factor is the rising price of meals owing to inflation. To lighten the burden for college students that are paying for every meal at an expensive price, 41 universities around the country, including Ajou University, started to supply healthy and hearty breakfasts at exceptionally cheap prices with help from MAFRA.
Every morning at 8 a.m., except on weekends and holidays, students can get freshly made warm rice bowls topped with various sauces, meats, and vegetables. Other menus are also available, but only the rice bowls are offered at 1,000 won. However, each day there are only 200 servings provided, so it is important to be on time to enjoy the benefit of the affordable breakfast. All you need to do to get the “1,000 won breakfast” is to tag your student ID on the tagging machine and pay for your menu using the kiosk.
Let us find out what international students think about this new business for students. Interview with international student Mareike Leonie Kuehnle (3rd grade, the Department of Industrial Engineering)
Q. How did you learn about this new business?
A. Korean friend of mine has told me about this great breakfast offer. So, we went there once together, she showed me how it works, and we enjoyed our breakfast together.
Q. How often do you come in the morning for this?
A. Since I know about this opportunity I come here twice per week. Mostly I’m stepping by after I went for a morning run.
Q. Are you willing to continue to eat the “1,000 won breakfast”?
A. Of course, I could never imagine that the university in my home country offers such a cheap and delicious breakfast option, so I will continue seizing the opportunity until I head back to Germany.
By Yoon Su-hyeon, AG Cub Reporter
suhyeonryoon@ajou.ac.kr
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