KB Financial Group will take part in a program aimed at reducing lunch expenses for workers at small and midsize companies. It is a public-private cooperative project that seeks to expand worker welfare and boost local dining businesses at the same time.

KB Financial said on May 19 it will join the "Jobholders' Hearty Lunch" program with the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and local governments to ease the lunch cost burden for small and midsize enterprise workers.

The program was set up to reduce the burden of higher lunch prices amid high inflation and to promote use of local restaurants. It is intended to ease workers' actual food expenses while also helping boost sales for small merchants in local commercial districts.

Support targets are workers employed at small and midsize enterprises under the Framework Act on Small and Medium Enterprises who receive lunch allowances from their companies.

Selected workers can receive a 20 percent discount on the payment amount when paying at general restaurants, snack bars and bakeries between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. on weekdays. The support limit is up to 40,000 won per person per month.

The program is a public-private cooperative model jointly promoted by the government, local governments and KB Financial. Local governments select participating companies, while KB Financial joins as a private sponsor and supports part of the cost of dining out for lunch.

A KB Financial official said, "It is a field-focused win-win model that can support both easing workers' meal cost burdens and increasing sales for small business owners." The official added, "We will continue to expand win-win finance closely tied to daily life and grow together with local communities."