South Korea food vouchers expire unused due to rural infrastructure gaps

A welfare program designed to provide vulnerable populations with balanced nutrition through food vouchers is facing significant challenges in rural South Korea due to a lack of usable infrastructure. Data provided by Representative Shin Jang-sik reveals that 67 towns and townships across the country have no offline designated locations where the vouchers can be used, creating ‘food deserts.’

In these underserved areas, voucher funds are frequently expiring unused. In the first half of 2026, approximately 4.04 billion KRW—about 7.3% of the total amount charged—was lost because it was not spent by the end of each month. The issue is particularly acute in rural counties such as Uiseong, Cheongsong, and Bonghwa, where expiration rates exceed 18%, significantly higher than the national average of 7.3%.

Representative Shin has called on the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and local governments to investigate the causes of these unused funds and implement measures to bridge the infrastructure gap, ensuring that the welfare program effectively reaches those in need.