Byungseok Oh, Director of the Rural Future Research Institute, Receives Plaque of Appreciation from Doam Nonghyup

Recognized for Dedication to the Advancement of Agriculture in Gangjin

Former Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Byungseok Oh, Director of the Rural Future Research Institute, recently received a meaningful plaque of appreciation from the Doam Nonghyup Delegates Council. Photo by Doam Nonghyup

Byungseok Oh, Director of the Rural Future Research Institute and former Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, has been delivering heartfelt inspiration to the local community through his dedication to the development of agriculture in his hometown of Gangjin. In recognition of his ongoing efforts and contributions, the Doam Nonghyup Delegates Council recently presented him with a meaningful plaque of appreciation.

Director Oh has long empathized with the realities faced by local agricultural cooperatives, which are struggling due to the rapid aging and declining birthrate in rural areas, the resulting depopulation, and a decrease in cooperative members and business scale. Since his retirement, he has spent the past four years paying close attention to these challenging trends in the region. Driven by a desire to contribute, no matter how small, he sought ways to support the three agricultural cooperatives in Gangjin County (Doam, Eup, and Nambu), providing essential farming equipment such as a 5-ton truck, forklift, drone, and seeder for their operations.

Director Oh reached out to the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation, with whom he had built a relationship during his tenure as Deputy Minister, for assistance. The Federation, deeply moved by Director Oh’s intentions, joined in supporting the advancement of agriculture in the Gangjin region. This collaboration provided substantial practical support for this fall’s farming season, and as a result, the Doam Nonghyup Delegates Council presented Director Oh with a plaque of appreciation to express their gratitude.

Upon receiving the plaque, Director Oh remarked, “Although I provided various forms of support while in public office, this is the first time I have received a plaque of appreciation directly from my hometown, which makes it all the more meaningful.” He added, “Going forward, if there is anything I can do, however small, to contribute to the development of my hometown, I will gladly step forward and strive to share even greater gratitude.”

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