Excluding Preferential Support and Establishing Open Application Principles
Initiating the Challenge for Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS) Registration
At the regular meeting of the National Important Agricultural Heritage Preservation Council in Cheongyang County, County Governor Kim Dongon is delivering a greeting.
Cheongyang goji berries, designated as a National Important Agricultural Heritage, are moving beyond the "preservation" stage and entering a "brand strategy" phase.
Cheongyang County in South Chungcheong Province has officially launched this year's project to turn agricultural heritage into a local growth engine, prioritizing fair support principles and systematic brand development.
The county announced on January 30 that it held the "Regular Meeting of the National Important Agricultural Heritage Preservation Council for Cheongyang Goji Berries" at the Chungnam Social Economy Innovation Town on January 29, where it finalized the 2026 agricultural heritage preservation and management plan and key business directions.
The meeting was attended by 23 participants, including County Governor Kim Dongon and Council Chairman Shin Chunsik, who discussed budget execution standards and future action items.
The county plans to avoid preferential or customary support for specific individuals or groups, and instead focus on fair and transparent budget execution centered on activities that make a substantial contribution to heritage preservation.
In addition, all projects will be selected through an open application process, and the county intends to further strengthen a resident-led governance system.
During the meeting, the final contractor was selected by focusing on the expertise, field understanding, and local communication capabilities of the branding firms tasked with visualizing the identity of Cheongyang goji berries.
The county aims to use this brand development to weave together the history, traditional cultivation techniques, and community culture of goji berries into a unique agricultural heritage brand.
Based on this, Cheongyang County plans to increase consumer awareness and create a virtuous cycle model that leads to increased farm income through experience and tourism-linked projects.
Governor Kim Dongon stated, "Cheongyang's traditional goji berry agriculture is an asset built on the wisdom of our ancestors, who overcame harsh environments for over 100 years. We will focus our administrative capabilities not only on preserving domestic heritage but also on achieving registration as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS) recognized worldwide."
Meanwhile, Cheongyang goji berries were designated as the 19th National Important Agricultural Heritage in 2024, recognized for their unique cultivation techniques and community-based agricultural culture.
Starting with this meeting, Cheongyang County plans to sequentially develop experience programs and tourism-linked projects, expanding agricultural heritage into a sustainable growth axis for the local economy.
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