S.Korean rights watchdog recommends vegan meal options in schools

Seoul, Feb 10

South Korea’s National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has recommended the Education Ministry amend the school meal system to provide vegan lunch options to students, officials said on Thursday.

The recommendation came after a civic group advocating vegan meal choices for students filed a petition with the NHRC in June against the Ministry and some local education offices, including Seoul and the surrounding Gyeonggi Province, reports Yonhap News Agency.

The group claimed vegan students’ right to health has been violated because of school meals that do not provide vegan options.

The NHRC said it is difficult to view that vegan students’ right to health has been infringed upon, but still made the recommendation, saying the best interests of the child should be considered foremost in all children-related activities.

Vegan children should be able to choose school meals created with nutritional value that fits their beliefs, the NHRC said.

“It is not impossible to guarantee vegan options with school meals in reality,” the watchdog said, noting that some local education offices have already done so on a trial basis. IANS