112th Anniversary of Korea Rural Community Corporation... Accelerating Smart and Green Economy in Rural Areas

Held Untact Founding Anniversary Ceremony on the 8th and Announced 'KRC 4+2' Innovation Strategy

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyunjung] Korea Rural Community Corporation (KRC) is focusing on establishing a safe agricultural environment, smart rural development, green economy transition, and activation of a win-win cooperation platform to mark its 112th anniversary.

On the 8th, KRC held an untact commemorative ceremony through internal broadcasting to celebrate its 112th anniversary and announced the 'KRC 4+2 Innovation Strategy' aimed at preparing for the next 100 years of agriculture, fisheries, and rural areas in line with the government's Korean New Deal.

Since the inauguration of President Kim Insik in March last year, KRC has shifted its management system to a frontline, field-centered approach based on the management slogan "Together with farmers and fishermen for rural areas," promoting projects that farmers and fishermen can directly feel and enhancing the value of rural areas. Especially this year, with the longest rainy season on record and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic causing rapid environmental changes in agriculture, fisheries, and rural areas, KRC has focused on driving virtuous cycle development by performing convergent functions alongside its core duties.

The KRC 4+2 Innovation Strategy is a performance creation plan through four major projects and two convergent projects of KRC, with the basic directions being the establishment of a safe agricultural environment, smart rural development, green economy transition, and activation of a win-win cooperation platform. First, to create a "smart agricultural and fishery production base," KRC plans to increase agricultural productivity by expanding smart agriculture, building climate-safe infrastructure, and expanding versatile farmland, thereby promoting increased income for farming households and strengthening national food security.

Additionally, under "realizing safe and healthy rural water welfare," KRC aims to supply clean water and strengthen disaster response capabilities through digitalization of agricultural and fishery SOC, and establish a public participation water management system by operating governance to meet rural water demand. Third, through "establishing an income safety net for farmers throughout their life cycle," KRC will convert the farmland bank project into a digital-based non-face-to-face service, expand support for young farmers and vulnerable groups, and focus on stable income expansion for farming households linked to the public interest direct payment system by strengthening farmland policy support functions.

Fourth, through "rural spatial innovation and community revitalization," KRC will create a 365-day living zone in rural areas by improving living SOC, build a non-face-to-face rural tourism platform, renovate vacant houses, and restore rural landscapes to prepare for the post-COVID-19 era by creating low-density, eco-friendly rural spaces and promoting community-centered local economic revitalization.

Fifth, through "spreading rural green energy with local residents," KRC is expanding renewable energy generation facilities utilizing salt-damaged reclaimed land and idle water surfaces in line with the government's Green New Deal policy and is pursuing plans to share the profits with local residents. Lastly, "expanding overseas advancement of K-agro industry to realize global win-win." Based on excellent agricultural and industrial technology accumulated through Saemangeum and large-scale reclamation projects and KRC's credibility, KRC plans to actively support private companies' overseas agricultural development ventures and lead the globalization of the Korean New Deal projects centered on digital and green technologies.

To implement this strategy, KRC reorganized its headquarters on the 1st from 26 departments to 20 departments and transferred execution functions such as design and inspection to regional headquarters, shifting personnel to a field-oriented system. By transitioning from a traditional hierarchical organization to a convergent organization focused on business and functions that minimize similar and overlapping roles, KRC aims to establish a sustainable growth foundation for the "KRC 4+2 Innovation Strategy" and enhance execution capabilities.

President Kim Insik said, "As we celebrate the 112th anniversary, it is time to reflect on KRC's mission and take new steps for the sustainable development of agriculture, fisheries, and rural areas," adding, "We will protect the precious value of agriculture and fisheries, unlock the infinite potential of rural areas, and lead KRC to play a pioneering role so that rural areas become the core space of the Korean New Deal."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.