Expansion of Seasonal Workers and Establishment of Smart APC
Kim Dongon: "Improving the Structure of Farm Income"
Cheongyang County, South Chungcheong Province, will invest 22.1 billion won in agricultural policy projects this year to secure agricultural labor, innovate distribution, advance production infrastructure, and strengthen the competitiveness of the livestock sector.
The county plans to strategically increase farm income by allocating its budget to expanding the employment of foreign workers, smart distribution facilities, strategic crops, and clean livestock farming.
On January 15, the county announced that it had finalized 12 key initiatives across six major areas and would begin full-scale financial investment in all sectors of agriculture.
To address the labor shortage during the busy farming season, the county will significantly expand the introduction of foreign seasonal workers. The number of foreign workers increased from 209 in 2023 to 745 in 2024, and they have been deployed to more than 1,610 farms.
In addition, the county is providing stable living environments by utilizing a dedicated dormitory completed in April 2023, and is continuously securing verified workers through on-site interviews in Laos.
The Smart Agricultural Produce Center (APC), with a total investment of 3.05 billion won, is under construction and scheduled for completion by the end of this year.
The center will process the region's main products, such as dried red peppers, melons, and shiitake mushrooms, using automated sorting and cold storage systems to enhance logistics efficiency and product quality.
The county will also invest an additional 4.2 billion won in 21 projects, including support for joint sorting costs, operation of agricultural produce centers, fostering integrated production and distribution organizations, and standardizing packaging, to strengthen the competitiveness of the "Chilgab Maru" brand.
Furthermore, to respond to climate change, the county will invest a total of 4.2 billion won to expand rain shelter facilities, customized horticultural facilities for farms, and support for production equipment. At the same time, it will invest in facilities and equipment for regionally specialized and strategic crops such as goji berries, aiming to enhance cultivation stability and quality competitiveness.
To develop Hyangjinju Rice as Cheongyang's representative high-quality brand, the county will expand the number of GAP-certified shipping organizations to four and increase the contract cultivation area from 88 hectares in 2025 to 200 hectares in 2026. A total of 300 million won will be invested in eight related projects. To prevent rice oversupply, 2.1 billion won has been allocated for support such as agricultural machinery and infrastructure for crop conversion.
The livestock sector will receive an investment of 7.8 billion won. The county will promote cattle and pig breeding projects centered on the "Cheongyang The Hanwoo" brand and expand the self-sufficiency base for forage to reduce feed costs.
Additionally, to prevent livestock infectious diseases such as AI and ASF, the county will strengthen intensive management of vulnerable areas and enhance constant monitoring systems to establish a safe production base for livestock products.
County Governor Kim Dongon stated, "Even in challenging agricultural conditions, we will focus financial resources on the field so that farmers can concentrate on production with peace of mind. We will create a structure in which farm income actually increases and enhance the competitiveness of Cheongyang agriculture."
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