Main Bill "Agricultural and Fisheries Disaster Countermeasure Act" Passes National Assembly
Legal Foundation Established for State Responsibility in Responding to Disasters
Insurance Premium Surcharges Eliminated; Support Measures for Farmers and Fishers Strengthened
Geumju Moon, member of the Democratic Party of Korea.
The "Agricultural and Fisheries Disaster Countermeasure Act," proposed by Geumju Moon, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea representing Goheung, Boseong, Jangheung, and Gangjin in South Jeolla Province, passed the National Assembly plenary session on July 23, 2025.
In particular, it is being recognized as the result of a policy compromise reached through cooperation between the legislative and executive branches, following a period of conflict, as the bill was passed 217 days after the Yoon Suk-yeol administration exercised its veto power against it last year.
The purpose of the amendment is to establish a legal foundation to protect farmers and fishers from the rapidly increasing disasters caused by the climate crisis and to enable the state to respond swiftly to such damages.
The main provisions include: ▲ Establishing and implementing a basic plan for agricultural and fisheries disaster countermeasures every five years ▲ Expanding the scope of recognized disasters to include abnormal high temperatures and earthquakes as natural disasters ▲ Providing support for recovery costs and guaranteeing production costs invested in crop cultivation in the event of natural disasters ▲ Preparing measures for farms not covered by insurance.
On the same day, the "Agricultural and Fisheries Disaster Insurance Act" and the "Special Act on Support for Agricultural and Fisheries Employment Personnel" were also passed.
The "Agricultural and Fisheries Disaster Insurance Act" aims to ease the financial burden on farmers and fishers by prohibiting premium surcharges when calculating insurance rates for damages caused by natural disasters. The "Special Act on Support for Agricultural and Fisheries Employment Personnel" expands the scope of support for employment personnel to better reflect rural realities and establishes an institutional foundation for improving working conditions.
Through these legislative measures, the institutional framework to protect the livelihood rights of farmers and fishers and to effectively respond to the climate crisis and chronic labor shortages has been further strengthened.
Moon emphasized, "Agricultural and fisheries disasters are no longer temporary setbacks but are now structural issues," and added, "It is significant that a legal foundation has been established for the state to take responsibility and respond to disaster types such as abnormal high temperatures and earthquakes, which have so far been in a legal blind spot."
Moon also stated, "We have now established grounds to eliminate the issue of insurance premium surcharges, which has been the biggest complaint among farmers and fishers," and continued, "Going forward, we will continue to review and supplement policies and systems so that farmers and fishers are not left powerless in the face of natural disasters, reflecting the voices from the field."
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