[Full Text] Chairman Kang Ho-dong of the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation: "We Will Accept Direct Election System for Members and Establish Internal Control Measures"

Message to Farmer Members and the Public

On the 21st, Kang Ho-dong, Chairman of the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation, stated in a position statement, "Recognizing the need for a more democratic and accountable election system, we have decided to actively accept the direct election system for cooperative members." However, regarding the establishment of an external audit committee, another key point of the agricultural cooperative reform plan, he reiterated his opposition, saying, "We are concerned that this would undermine the autonomy and stability of overall management."

Kang Hodong, Chairman of the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation, is delivering a message to agricultural cooperative members and the public at the federation's main building on the 21st. National Agricultural Cooperative Federation

The following is the full text of Chairman Kang's 'Message to Farmer Members and the Public' announced today.

Dear farmer members and fellow citizens,

The National Agricultural Cooperative Federation takes to heart both the President's call and the demands of our times to "become a true cooperative that leads agricultural development and improves the quality of life for farmers."

While we have agreed on the need for reform, we have also deliberated deeply on some provisions in the Agricultural Cooperative Act, such as the method of introducing direct elections and the expansion of oversight, and how they might impact the structure of the cooperative and the agricultural sector as a whole. These intense discussions originated from our shared understanding of the need to secure the actual rights and interests of farmer members and the sustainability of regional communities.

Now, we will move beyond concerns and develop concrete alternatives. By communicating closely with the government, the National Assembly, and stakeholders on the ground, and through broad social consensus, the cooperative itself will become the agent of change and fulfill its responsibility for meaningful innovation.

The true measure of agricultural cooperative reform is not just changes in governance, but rather "how much the lives of farmers have actually improved." All decisions regarding our systems and operations must place the enhancement of farmer members' rights and interests, and the sustainability of agriculture and rural communities, at the center.

We also believe that the autonomy of cooperatives and their public responsibility are not conflicting values, but principles that must be upheld together. We will pursue reforms that revitalize the agricultural sector and directly benefit the lives of farmers.

With this in mind, we make the following pledges to our farmer members and the public, reflecting our firm commitment to major innovation.

First, we will actively accept the direct election system for cooperative members with an open mind and a sense of responsibility.

The cooperative shares the recognition that a more democratic and accountable election system is necessary. However, there are issues that must be addressed, such as regional conflicts stemming from the introduction of direct elections, the politicization of the cooperative, and problems such as vote-buying. In particular, the excessive financial burden of elections can reduce the resources available to support members, making it urgent to introduce institutional measures such as a publicly funded election system.

Second, we will establish internal control measures that balance the autonomy of the cooperative and its public responsibility.

The establishment of an audit committee could lead to overlapping regulations and increased personnel and operating costs, which raises concerns about undermining overall management autonomy and stability. In response, we will thoroughly enhance our internal audit functions and seek effective measures that meet public expectations. At the same time, through public discussions involving academia, farmer groups, and stakeholders, as well as close consultation with the government and the National Assembly, we will derive the optimal solution.

Third, we will strongly implement autonomous innovation and responsible management.

We will swiftly carry out the 13 self-innovation tasks recommended by the Agricultural Cooperative Reform Committee, including improving governance, strengthening internal controls, and enhancing fairness in executive nominations, to deliver tangible changes that farmer members and the public can experience.

Fourth, we will further solidify the principle that the true owners of the cooperative are its farmer members.

We fully agree with the current mission to enhance member sovereignty and improve the quality of life for farmers. We will improve the decision-making structure to ensure that member sovereignty is practically strengthened, and ensure that the results of all cooperative projects and policies translate into real benefits for members.

Fifth, as we have done so far, we will continue to be a reliable partner for the government's transformative agricultural policies.

We will open new avenues of hope for agriculture and rural communities by introducing a basic income for rural areas, expanding Sunlight Income Villages, innovating agricultural product distribution, fostering young farmers, supporting smart agriculture, and expanding public seasonal labor programs to address labor shortages in rural areas.

Last year, the cooperative provided 37.1 billion won in support during national disasters such as wildfires and extreme rainfall. Earlier this year, we provided 38 billion won in proactive fuel cost support. In total, we have supported 114.2 billion won to help reduce management costs for farmers and stabilize prices for the public.

In addition, over the next five years, we will do our utmost to support economic growth and financial inclusion by investing 93 trillion won in productive finance and 15 trillion won in inclusive finance.

To establish a foundation for profitable agriculture, we will expand the distribution-type smart farms, which receive 75% project cost support, from the initial goal of 1,600 sites to 2,000 sites.

To respond to the decline in prices of agricultural products such as onions, we will actively utilize the cooperative's price support system at wholesale markets, and implement timely measures to expand exports and boost consumption to share in the pain of farmers.

Through the public seasonal labor program, we will supply a workforce of 1.5 million foreign workers and 2.6 million in total including employee volunteers and rural worker brokerage, thereby addressing the labor shortage in aging rural communities.

To address the climate crisis, we have allocated 1 trillion won in interest-free funds and a 5 billion won budget to thoroughly prepare for natural disasters. In addition, we will establish a total of 5,928 cooling shelters—including 4,891 main and branch offices of agricultural and livestock cooperatives, and 1,037 branches of the cooperative bank—so that farmers and the public have a comfortable place to rest during extreme heat.

Dear members and citizens,

The cooperative will use this period of reform as a starting point for restoring the trust of farmers, strengthening member sovereignty, and ushering in a new era of transformation for Korean agriculture and rural communities.

Going forward, we will prepare specific implementation plans and a roadmap for operational innovation focused on revitalizing economic projects, and we will demonstrate to the public that the cooperative is transforming itself and taking responsibility for change.

By listening more attentively to voices on the ground and becoming a more responsible cooperative, we will once again stand with the public as the "true cooperative" that leads agricultural development and improves the quality of life for farmers. Thank you.

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