Toward sustainable agriculture and stronger food security
Published: 26 Jun. 2025, 00:04

The author, a former president of the Korea Rural Economic Institute, is the president of the Center for Food, Agricultural & Rural Policy.
Korea is facing climate-related agricultural disruptions once thought unimaginable — frequent wildfires, heat waves, new pests, widespread bee deaths and volatile food prices driven by climate-related inflation. The sudden fluctuation in Brazil-sourced chicken imports earlier this year offered a stark example. Brazil supplies over 86 percent of Korea’s imported chicken and accounts for 20 percent of total domestic consumption. But when avian influenza prompted a temporary import ban, inflationary concerns led to a partial reversal, causing confusion across supply chains. Meanwhile, the United States grappled with an egg shortage — also climate-linked.
![Apples are displayed at a traditional market in Seoul on April 17. [NEWS1]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/06/26/e01300e3-373d-401b-ba15-719079c3e5bf.jpg)
Apples are displayed at a traditional market in Seoul on April 17. [NEWS1]
Veteran farmers increasingly report that each year feels like starting from scratch. The cost of managing climate-induced risks continues to rise, while farming incomes shrink. During the last presidential election, farmers’ associations urged candidates to make climate-smart agriculture a core policy and to reinforce food sovereignty. These concerns have elevated agricultural sustainability and food price stability as national priorities.
While many presidential candidates pledged to strengthen compensation and disaster relief for farmers, few outlined specific measures for ensuring a stable supply of food. It is no longer enough to pursue fragmented responses to climate threats. Korea must now pursue a comprehensive strategy that reshapes agriculture for long-term resilience and secures food security.
Following a public outcry over the spike in apple prices early last year — referred to as the “golden apple” incident— the government announced a set of countermeasures to boost the fruit sector’s climate resilience. Authorities pledged to expand monitoring in vulnerable areas, provide more targeted technical guidance and notify growers of optimal pest control timing. As a result, the apple harvest increased by 16.6 percent compared to the previous year, calming the market. Still, instability in supply and demand across many crops continues to be a challenge.
What Korea needs is a structured, integrated policy framework. This includes expanded climate-adaptive infrastructure, the scaling of smart agriculture and the development of new crop varieties and farming technologies tailored to evolving environmental conditions. Sophisticated digital tools using artificial intelligence and predictive analytics must be adopted to improve forecasting accuracy. In addition, Korea must enhance its access to climate information, strengthen international trade strategies and improve disaster response systems for farmers.
An effective strategy will also require collaborative governance built on scientific data. This means engaging not only the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs but also the Ministry of Environment, the Korea Meteorological Administration and other government bodies. A whole government approach is essential to adapt effectively to the scope and complexity of the climate crisis.
Volatility in global trade and commodity markets is adding further uncertainty to Korea’s agricultural outlook. As overseas procurement becomes more difficult, concerns over domestic food security have grown. This calls for coordinated research not only into local farming conditions but also into those of countries with a substantial impact on Korea’s agricultural system — including the United States, China, Japan, Brazil and the European Union.
To develop balanced and realistic policy solutions, cross-disciplinary collaboration is essential. Experts in both the natural and social sciences must work together to interpret global trends and identify effective responses. Japan’s recent surge in rice prices — nearly double the seasonal average — offers a cautionary tale. Some analysts link the spike to decades of state policy aimed at reducing rice production in response to falling demand. In a climate-constrained world, a thorough review of longstanding policy frameworks may be necessary.
![Shoppers browse groceries at a large supermarket in Seoul on December 23, 2024. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, the global Food Price Index released by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reached 127.5 in November 2024, the highest level in 19 months. [NEWS1]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/06/26/311ab647-ab45-4110-ac9e-88aafb169b4f.jpg)
Shoppers browse groceries at a large supermarket in Seoul on December 23, 2024. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, the global Food Price Index released by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reached 127.5 in November 2024, the highest level in 19 months. [NEWS1]
Public perception also needs to shift. Climate change must be recognized not as an abstract threat but as a daily reality affecting national food supplies. Structural government reform should reflect this urgency. During the recent presidential campaign, proposals emerged to reorganize the Ministry of Environment into a more proactive “Ministry of Climate and Energy” or “Ministry of Climate and Environment.”
Correspondingly, the Ministry of Agriculture must go beyond small-scale initiatives such as eco-friendly farming divisions. A dedicated department to oversee carbon neutrality, the energy transition and comprehensive food security measures should be created. Agricultural policy must lead the transformation of farming systems and rural economies.
Although Korea continues to highlight the public benefits of agriculture and rural life, the most critical task remains securing a stable food supply through sustainable farming. This must become a central tenet of national policy.
Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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