Food and Drug Safety Minister Oh Yu-kyoung participates in the promotion for “Samsamhan Day” — or low-sodium day — at Yonsei University on Monday. (Ministry of Food and Drug Safety)
Food and Drug Safety Minister Oh Yu-kyoung participates in the promotion for “Samsamhan Day” — or low-sodium day — at Yonsei University on Monday. (Ministry of Food and Drug Safety)

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said Monday that March 31 will be promoted as “Samsamhan Day” — or low-sodium day — as a campaign to reduce excessive sodium intake and encourage healthier eating habits across the country.

According to the ministry, the word “samsamhan” not only means mild or light in flavor, something not too salty or overly seasoned, but also references the numbers 3, 3, 1, making it easy to remember the date — March 31.

Marking its inaugural year of the campaign, a total of 335 food service centers and 38,000 catering providers serving children, older adults and people with disabilities, have participated by offering sodium-reduced menu options.

Major companies such as Samsung Wellstory, CJ Freshway, Hyundai Green Food, Foodist Corporation, Our Home, Pulmuone Food & Culture, Shinsegae Food, and Dongwon Home Food have joined the initiative.

The campaign also targets elementary, middle and high schools, as well as military units, to foster healthier dietary habits from an early stage. Sample meals promoted by the ministry include cranberry fried rice, turmeric chicken fried rice, potato yogurt salad and mushroom tofu stew — meals that are both nutritious and lower in sodium.

To engage younger generations, an offline event was held Monday at Yonsei University, targeting teens and people in their 20s — a demographic known to often follow food trends. Chef Shin Hyo-seob partnered with the ministry to showcase low-sodium dishes in the campus cafeteria. Featured dishes included tonkatsu made with a roux-based sauce to reduce sodium while enhancing flavor, and tan tan ramen with a savory sesame sauce as a salt alternative.

“Although average sodium and sugar consumption in Korea is declining, sodium intake still exceeds the World Health Organization’s recommended daily limit of 2,000 milligrams by 1.5 times,” said Minister Oh Yu-kyoung.

“That’s why the ministry continues to implement various strategies to promote low-sodium and low-sugar diets. ... We hope this first-ever Samsamhan Day becomes a meaningful step forward — encouraging everyone to recognize the importance of healthy eating and to start making small but impactful changes in their daily meals.”


ddd@heraldcorp.com