South Korea expands agricultural food voucher delivery nationwide

The South Korean Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs is expanding its agricultural food voucher delivery service nationwide. This initiative allows vulnerable households—specifically those receiving livelihood benefits and including pregnant women, infants, children, or youths under 34—to purchase fresh domestic agricultural products online and have them delivered directly to their homes.

The voucher program provides monthly support amounts based on household size, such as 40,000 KRW for a single-person household and 100,000 KRW for a four-person household. While vouchers can currently be used at over 62,000 physical locations including large marts and local food stores, residents in remote or mountainous areas often face accessibility challenges.

Following a successful pilot program in Jeonbuk involving 7,800 households, the government decided to scale the delivery model. The pilot demonstrated high repurchase rates and addressed the gap in food accessibility. The ministry plans to diversify package options, such as fruit or meat-focused bundles, and continue expanding service providers to increase consumer choice and convenience.