Lunch is Too Expensive — And That’s the Least of South Korea’s Problems

Lunch is Too Expensive — And That’s the Least of South Korea’s Problems

Busan, South Korea — A single roll of gimbap now costs more than 3,000 won at many neighborhood snack bars. A basic bowl of kalguksu? Often over 8,000. For office worker Jeong, 38, lunch in downtown Busan used to be a welcome mid-day relief. “Even just two years ago, I could grab lunch for under 7,000 won,” he says. “Now, even 10,000 isn’t enough.”It’s a sentiment echoed across the city — and the country. Amid rising food costs, stagnant wages, …