Departing Vice Minister Han Hoon: "Online Wholesale Market Must Be Legislated"

Han Hoon, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, stated on the 4th, "The legalization of the online wholesale market for agricultural and marine products is absolutely necessary." Meeting with reporters at the Government Complex Sejong on the same day, Vice Minister Han said, "It is most regrettable that the online wholesale market, currently operating based on the regulatory sandbox, has not been legalized." Vice Minister Han is set to step down on the 5th.

The online wholesale market for agricultural products, launched in November last year, is currently operating under a regulatory sandbox demonstration exception without legal grounds. Efforts to legalize it were pursued in the 21st National Assembly but were ultimately unsuccessful.

Han Hoon, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. (File photo)

The transaction performance of the online wholesale market is showing an upward trend. As of the 30th of last month, the cumulative performance this year reached 126.2 billion KRW (52,106 tons), and the average daily transaction amount increased from 209 million KRW in January to 1.438 billion KRW in June. On the 1st, the first transaction of marine products was also made. A total of 13.5 tons worth 21.6 million KRW was traded between the Nonghyup in Sinan, Jeonnam, which produces solar salt, and an online agricultural and marine products sales company. Despite these achievements, the online wholesale market must cease operations by October 3, 2025, when the demonstration exception ends, unless legal grounds are established.

Vice Minister Han said, "Offline wholesale markets like Garak Market have positive aspects such as raising the prices received by farmers so they can get fair value, but there is also the disadvantage of high distribution costs because products move from production areas to wholesale markets and then to consumers again." He added, "The online wholesale market is the key to innovating the distribution structure by reducing such costs."

Born in 1968 in Jeongeup, Jeonbuk, Vice Minister Han graduated from Honam High School and Seoul National University with a degree in Business Administration. He then earned a master's degree in Public Administration from Seoul National University and a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Washington. Entering public service in 1991 through the 35th Administrative Examination, he served as Deputy Minister of Strategy and Finance, Director of Innovation Growth Policy, Director of Policy Coordination Bureau, Economic Budget Review Officer, and Commissioner of Statistics Korea before being appointed Vice Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs on July 3 last year.

Vice Minister Han said, "Since my appointment, I feel like I have spent a hectic year responding to disasters caused by heavy rain and heatwaves, preventing the spread of Lumpy Skin Disease, which occurred for the first time domestically, and managing price situations for apples and pears." He added, "Along with addressing current issues, I feel a sense of accomplishment in contributing to laying the foundation for industrializing agriculture in the future through smart farms, food tech, and fostering young farmers."