'Uljin Geumgang Pine Mountain Agriculture' Recognized Globally, Registered as FAO Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System

First for North Gyeongsang Province, Sixth Agricultural Heritage Recognition for South Korea
Delegation Receives Certificate at FAO Headquarters in Rome, Italy

The "Uljin Geumgang Pine Mountain Agricultural System" in Uljin County, North Gyeongsang Province, has been officially registered as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS) by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations.

At the certificate awarding ceremony held at the FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy, the delegation from Uljin County, led by County Governor Son Byungbok, attended and received the official certificate. Photo by Uljin County

On October 31 (local time), the delegation from Uljin County attended the certificate awarding ceremony held at the FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy, and received the official certificate.

This registration marks the first time for North Gyeongsang Province and the sixth time for South Korea to have an agricultural heritage site listed as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System, making it a significant achievement.

The "Uljin Geumgang Pine Mountain Agricultural System" is recognized as a representative mountain agricultural model that has preserved the region's natural environment and ecosystem through a harmonious blend of traditional forest management and agricultural activities spanning hundreds of years.

The system was highly praised for its sustainable agricultural environment, created through forest protection centered on Geumgang pine trees, mountain agriculture, and the traditional wisdom of village communities.

The Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) is an international certification program operated by the FAO. It is designated to support traditional agricultural and fisheries systems, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable utilization.

The FAO stated that the registration of the "Uljin Geumgang Pine Mountain Agricultural System" serves as a model case of a sustainable agricultural system that harmoniously preserves traditional agriculture and natural resources while passing on ecological and cultural values to future generations.

With this registration, Uljin County plans to actively pursue systematic conservation and management of the Geumgang Pine Mountain Agricultural System, as well as promote ecological tourism and foster regionally specialized industries utilizing this heritage.

On the same day, the county operated an exhibition and promotional booth to showcase the excellence of the Uljin Geumgang Pine Mountain Agricultural System and local agricultural specialties to the world.

The exhibition, themed "Mountain Agriculture in Uljin: Where Humans and Forests Coexist," was designed to provide an overview of the history, structure, and ecological value of the Uljin Geumgang Pine Mountain Agricultural System, as well as the traditional agroforestry methods practiced by local residents over generations.

The county introduced the process by which the sustainable mountain agricultural culture centered on Geumgang pine trees has been passed down through generations in harmony with nature. The promotional booth also featured representative local specialties that embody the spirit and fragrance of Uljin Geumgang pine.

Exhibited items included Geumgang Songju, a special traditional liquor infused with the scent and spirit of Geumgang pine; Uljin Wasong Juice, a healthy beverage made from three-year-old organic wasong and jujube, with no other additives; Geumgang Solppang, a local specialty bakery product made using pine needle powder; and Geumgang Solip Fabric Perfume, a fragrance product that captures the pure and deep aroma of Geumgang pine needles.

Visitors from around the world who visited Uljin County's exhibition and promotional booth were deeply impressed by the originality and sustainability of the "Agriculture + Forestry = Agroforestry" model demonstrated by the Uljin Geumgang Pine Mountain Agricultural System, and showed great interest in the harmony between local specialties and traditional agriculture.

Uljin County operated an exhibition and promotional booth to showcase the excellence of the Uljin Geumgang Pine Mountain Agricultural System and local agricultural specialties to the world.

County Governor Son Byungbok stated, "The registration of the Uljin Geumgang Pine Mountain Agricultural System as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System is a source of pride for all residents of Uljin County and a meaningful achievement that recognizes our traditional agriculture and forest culture, passed down through generations, on a global scale. We will continue to preserve Uljin's natural treasures, including the Geumgang pine, and create a sustainable model where local agriculture and tourism can develop together. We will also expand exchanges with the world so that Uljin's forests, agriculture, and culture, symbolized by the Geumgang pine, can grow in harmony, and we will actively work to globalize our local agricultural specialties."