For Chuseok, Fresh Rice... Yeongju City Begins First Rice Harvest at '8·15 Gwangbok Rice' Cultivation Site

‘The First Formation Site of Daehan Gwangbokdan’ Yeongju-produced ‘8·15 Liberation Rice’

The first harvest of ‘8.15 Gwangbok Rice’ this year has begun in Yeongju City, the hometown of anti-Japanese militia and the birthplace of the Daehan Gwangbokdan.

Commemoration of the First Rice Harvest of '8·15 Gwangbok Rice'.

On the 12th, when the heatwave was still intense, Yeongju City held the first rice harvesting event of ‘8.15 Gwangbok Rice’ this year at the rice paddy of farmer Hwang Soon-seop in Ogyeri, Anjeong-myeon.

The 8.15 Gwangbok Rice harvested this time consists of ultra-early varieties Jinok-byeo, Haedam-byeo, and Ppareumi, and it is the first harvest 114 days after the first rice transplanting on April 20.

Starting with this first rice harvest, the city plans to harvest 120 tons by the end of August and present it to consumers during the Chuseok holiday under the brand name ‘8.15 Gwangbok Rice’ (4kg, 5kg) through Anjeong Nonghyup.

8.15 Gwangbok Rice is a brand developed in 2012 in cooperation with Anjeong Nonghyup as new rice for Chuseok to overcome difficulties in rural areas such as the opening of the rice market and the decline in rice prices in production areas.

Harvested around August 15, 8.15 Gwangbok Rice carries the meaning of reflecting on the significance of Liberation Day and inspiring patriotism in future generations. Early harvesting contributes to increasing the income of local farmers.

To secure a stable supply of raw materials for 8.15 Gwangbok Rice, the city is supporting contract cultivation areas totaling 20 hectares (14 hectares in Anjeong-myeon, 6 hectares in Jangsu-myeon) through Anjeong Nonghyup (Chairman Son Gi-eul) and providing production incentives of 30 million KRW to farmers.

In addition, to supply differentiated new rice, the city plans to enhance on-site guidance according to the growth stages tailored to the characteristics of the varieties to increase added value and develop various sales channels to make 8.15 Gwangbok Rice a nationally renowned premium new rice.

Mayor Park Nam-seo said, “This rice harvesting event served as an opportunity to promote the excellence of high-quality Yeongju rice, which is gaining external competitiveness,” and added, “We will do our best to increase farmers’ income by continuing to support 8.15 Gwangbok Rice, which combines excellent quality with the meaning of patriotism.”

Park Nam-seo, Mayor of Yeongju City, operating a combine harvester.

Yeongju has a deep historical connection with Liberation Day. The Daehan Gwangbokdan, which carried out independence movements domestically and abroad during the Japanese colonial period, was first organized in 1913 in Punggi, Yeongju. The Daehan Gwangbokdan Memorial Park, honoring the noble patriotism of the Daehan Gwangbokdan, is located in Sanbeop-ri, Punggi-eup, Yeongju City.