Page 276 - 2020 Defence White Paper

alternative foods provided since 2020 to servicemembers with limited choice of
12)
food due to various factors such as vegetarian diet and religion.
In 2014, the MND launched the "Mothers’ Monitoring Group", through which
mothers of servicemembers participate in joint hygiene inspections at plants that
manufacture food supplied to the military and review the quality of meals provided
to their children; thus contributing to raising the standard of military meals.

Mothers’ Monitoring Group visits the cafeteria and military meal supplier

As military meals are consumed by a large group of people at the same time, they
require safety and hygiene control at each stage–from supplier contracts to actual
servings. Therefore, companies certified with a Hazard Analysis Critical Control
Point (HACCP) are preferred, and military suppliers are subject to biannual hygiene
inspections and nonscheduled inspections in the summer, which are conducted in
collaboration with the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. If any violation is found
during an inspection, punishment under the pertinent statutes such as corrective
action, fines, and suspension of business and reduction of points in the contract
bidding for the following year are enforced.

Chungcheong Gyeongsang Gyeonggi Province Gangwon Province
Jeolla Province Food
12) Distribution Center Province Food Province Food Food Distribution Food Distribution
2020 meal policy: For (Jangseong, 2012) Distribution Center Distribution Center Center Center
servicemembers who (Daejeon, 2016) (Daegu, 2017) (Byeolnae, 2018) (Sinnam, 2020)
prefer vegetarian food and
those who are restricted
from eating certain foods
due factors such as religion The MND also operates military food distribution centers furnished with
or food allergies, alternative
edible items among modern equipment to maintain the freshness of food ingredients and plans to
available items such as
rice, seaweed, vegetables, continue expanding the facilities so as to further reinforce food safety and hygiene
fruits, and (silken) tofu
may be provided during management.
meals in consideration of
the unit’s meal conditions; Moreover, in 2019, the MND entered into a business agreement for the
soya milk may be
provided to vegetarian development of military meals with the Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural
servicemembers instead of
milk. Affairs and the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries with an aim to expand consumption

274 2020 Defense White Paper