Lee Jae-myung: "Agriculture is a National Core Strategy... Payment of Basic Income for Rural Areas and Raising Food Self-Sufficiency Rate to 60%"

"Agriculture Will Be Actively Protected and Fostered"
Promises to Enact Special Law for Agricultural Workforce Support and Establish Emergency Disaster Measures
Agricultural and Fishery Food Budget Expanded from 3.9% to 5%

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Ju-yeon] Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea, stated on the 4th, "Agriculture is the source of protecting the lives of the people," and added, "We will actively protect and foster agriculture as one of the nation's core strategies."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the afternoon of the same day, Lee attended the 'Presidential Candidate Agricultural Policy Vision Presentation' held at Jamsil Sports Complex and said, "We will strictly adhere to Article 123 of the Constitution, which stipulates the protection of farmers' interests as a national duty."

To this end, Lee promised to resolve issues such as the shortage of agricultural labor and instability in agricultural product prices. He pledged, "By enacting the Special Act on Agricultural Labor Support, establishing fundamental measures to guarantee production costs, and preparing emergency disaster countermeasures, farmers will be able to farm without worries about labor shortages, prices, or disasters."

He also proposed protecting and fostering agriculture as a food security industry, including "achieving a national food self-sufficiency target of 60% and introducing a food security direct payment system." He explained that the public meal supply system would be expanded to schools, military, daycare centers, and welfare facilities to significantly expand the consumption base of domestic agricultural products.

Lee revealed plans to transform agriculture into "green carbon agriculture." He explained, "We will greatly expand the public interest direct payment system and increase the distribution of low-methane and low-protein feed."

Furthermore, he emphasized expanding support by making rural areas a hub for balanced development to revive agriculture and rural communities facing extinction, and increasing the budget share for agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and food sectors from the current 3.9% to 5% of the national budget. Additionally, he reiterated the plan announced last month through the 'Agricultural Pledge' to provide a basic income of 1 million won per person in rural and fishing villages, stating, "We will provide rural basic income and also raise the allowances for village chiefs and neighborhood leaders."

Lee emphasized, "To alleviate the serious problem of unbalanced development in the Republic of Korea and to achieve balanced development, support for rural areas is necessary. I, Lee Jae-myung, will definitely realize a country where farmers are respected and rural communities are happy."

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