The ban will be applied for both students and teachers.
From September 14, the sale of coffee in elementary, secondary, and high schools in South Korea will be banned, Channel News Asia reports. The ban is the result of a law revision made by the country's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in an effort to promote healthier eating habits and lifestyles.
While South Korea's current law already restricts the sale of products that are high in calories and caffeine levels in school to students, coffee still remains accessible to teachers via vending machines and shops.
"We will make sure coffee is banned at schools without fail," said a ministry representative to Korea Times, adding that the ministry has "notified schools of the coffee ban across the nation through cooperation with the education ministry."
According to a 2015 research on caffeine concentration in products conducted by the South Korean ministry, coffee beverages have the highest concentration of caffeine with 449.1 milligrams of caffeine per kilogram of coffee, followed by chocolate milk (277.5 milligrams per kilogram).
The ministry warns that caffeine overdose can lead to dizziness, sleep disorder and nervousness. Thus, its continuous consumption can lead to detrimental effects on children and teenagers' physical and mental health.
[Photo via Creative Commons]
