Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Selects 'Uljin-gun' as Project Target for Organic Agricultural Industry Complex Service Support Center

Support of 18 Billion KRW in Total Project Cost Over 4 Years

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs announced on the 27th that Gyeongsangbuk-do Uljin-gun has been selected as the project operator for the 2023 'Organic Industry Complex Service Support Complex Creation Project.'

This project supports the creation of eco-friendly agricultural education, experience, and consumption spaces where producers and consumers can come together in regions rich in eco-friendly agricultural resources, aiming to spread the value of eco-friendly agriculture and expand consumption. Starting with Cheongju, Chungcheongbuk-do in 2015, a total of seven locations have been selected by 2022. Cheongju opened in April 2020 and is currently in operation.

Four cities and counties applied for this year's project operator selection. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs appointed an external expert panel in the fields of eco-friendly agriculture, rural development, and agricultural management to conduct document screening, on-site evaluation, and presentation evaluation. As a result of this comprehensive three-stage evaluation, Gyeongbuk Uljin-gun received the highest score and was selected as the final project target for 2023.

The judges evaluated that Gyeongbuk Uljin-gun has rich experience in spreading the value of eco-friendly agriculture, having hosted the 'World Eco-Friendly Agriculture Expo' twice in 2005 and 2009. They also praised the local government's project capability and commitment, the eco-friendly production, distribution, and experience facilities concentrated around the site, and the excellent conditions for project activation utilizing the adjacent 'Wangpicheon Park' (approximately 650,000 annual visitors).

Uljin-gun will receive a total project budget of 18 billion KRW over four years until 2026 (50% national funds and 50% local funds) to install eco-friendly agricultural product sales and processing facilities, education, experience, and promotion facilities, and to develop operation programs.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs plans to form an expert advisory group this year to support the establishment of a basic plan so that Uljin-gun can successfully carry out the project.

An official from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said, "Through education and experience at the Organic Industry Complex Service Support Complex, producers and consumers will share the value of eco-friendly agriculture, and we hope that this experience will lead to the spread of eco-friendly agriculture that creates a sustainable agricultural environment and responds to climate change."

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