Gyeongnam Food Solidarity Signs Policy Agreement with Local Election Candidates

Guaranteeing the Basic Right to Food, Realizing Sustainable Agriculture, Fisheries, and Rural Communities

Gyeongnam Food Solidarity and others signed policy agreements with candidates for the nationwide local elections in June. / Photo by Se-ryeong Lee ryeong@

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Seryeong] The Gyeongnam Food Solidarity and others signed a policy agreement on guaranteeing the basic right to food and a major transformation of regional agricultural policies with candidates for the nationwide simultaneous local elections in June.

The Gyeongnam Food Solidarity, the Agricultural and Fishing Village Reform March Gyeongnam Promotion Committee, and the School Meal Gyeongnam Solidarity reported that they sent policy agreement documents on the 18th and 19th to candidates for the Gyeongnam metropolitan government head, basic local government heads, and education superintendent running in the 8th local elections.

The agreement signed by Yang Moon-seok, the Democratic Party of Korea candidate for Governor of Gyeongnam Province (left), and Park Jong-hoon, Superintendent of Gyeongnam Office of Education. / Photo by Ryeong Lee

The agreement included ▲ guaranteeing the basic right to food for residents through eco-friendly free meals for infants, elementary, middle, and high school students and expanding and developing public meals, as well as establishing a circulation system based on a public procurement system ▲ expanding farmers' and fishermen's public interest allowances and direct payments ▲ realizing sustainable local agriculture and fisheries ▲ establishing cooperation between local and central governments and introducing farmers' and fishermen's allowances or basic income ▲ guaranteeing the happiness rights of local agricultural and fishing village residents ▲ realizing agricultural policy through local autonomy of agricultural and fishing village residents and public-private governance.

Kim Hansu, the standing executive committee member, said, “A total of 20 candidates, including Yang Moonseok and Yeo Youngguk, candidates for Gyeongnam governor, Heo Seongmu, candidate for Changwon mayor, and Heo Seonggon and Hong Taeyong, candidates for Gimhae mayor, agreed to the agreement. Due to their busy election schedules, it was difficult for candidates to make time directly, so no separate signing ceremony was held, but signatures were obtained on the agreement documents.”

“Park Wansu, the People Power Party candidate for Gyeongnam governor, expressed full sympathy for the agreement but said that with limited personnel, it was difficult to properly review it in a short time and gave a positive response that they would gather consensus and proceed later,” he said.

“Although some candidates promised active discussions later, it is regrettable and unfortunate that most seem to neglect the food crisis, climate crisis, and the extinction crisis of agricultural and fishing villages,” he added.

Kim said, “After the local elections, we will form a task force or council with candidates who agreed and those who promised active review to work toward establishing a healthy basic right to food and realizing sustainable agriculture, fisheries, and rural communities.”