While agriculture in South Korea demonstrates a combination of flexibility, innovation and commitment to meet domestic food needs, it also contributes to the country’s economic growth. Despite the limited amount of arable land due to its mountainous terrain, South Korea has adopted advanced agricultural methods and technologies to maximize productivity. Today, the agricultural sector plays an important role in the economy and food supply of this country and produces a variety of products including rice, barley, wheat, corn, as well as various fruits and vegetables. Also South Korean government actively supports its farmers through subsidies, research and development initiatives, and infrastructure improvements. In addition, South Korea has embraced sustainable farming practices to minimize environmental impact while ensuring high-quality produce.
Preserving tradition, embracing innovation
Over time, the potential impact of the agricultural sector on economic growth has always been studied by economists. Since the agricultural sector plays a significant role in meeting the food needs of the people, providing raw materials for industries, employment and generating income, the stability and continuity of this sector is one of the main factors in the social stability and economic growth of societies. The agricultural sector in South Korea is a combination of ancient traditions and contemporary techniques that have adapted to a variety of environmental conditions, making it a factor in efforts to provide food that is resilient to climate change.
The region’s favorable climate, fertile land and abundant water resources have supported agricultural activities in this country since ancient times. Early Korean civilizations relied on agriculture as their main means of living, growing crops such as rice, barley, millet, and vegetables, but the introduction of iron tools improved farming practices. During the Three Kingdoms period (Silla, Goguryeo, and Baekje) rice cultivation became more widespread and advanced irrigation systems were developed to increase productivity, and agriculture remained an important part of the country’s economy. Meanwhile, during the Goryeo dynasty, agriculture experienced further improvements. As a result of the implementation of agricultural extension policies to improve land management, rice remained the main crop and other crops such as wheat, beans, and cotton continued to be cultivated. Agricultural techniques continued to evolve during this period to the extent that the Joseon Dynasty marked an important period in the history of agriculture by introducing various agricultural reforms including land redistribution and tax reforms to eliminate social inequality. It should be mentioned that crop rotation techniques were used to maintain soil fertility in this period as well, and new products such as corn and sweet potato were introduced. During the Japanese colonial rule from 1910 to 1945, South Korea’s agricultural sector faced several challenges and Japanese authorities prioritized industrialization over agriculture, which led to the neglect of rural areas. On the other hand, confiscation of farmers’ lands by the government for industrial purposes forced farmers to continue their economic activities as tenants.
Chart 1. Share of different groups of South Korean agricultural products
After World War II and liberation from Japanese dominance, South Korea faced severe food shortages. In order to increase agricultural production, the country’s government began land reform plans in the late 1940s in order to redistribute land among farmers and helped farmers gain access to credit and modern farming techniques by creating cooperatives. The focus on agricultural policies in South Korea has evolved over the past sixty years. From the 1950s to the 1970s, the country’s efforts were mainly focused on increasing the productivity of agricultural products as well as achieving self-sufficiency in rice production. However, the issue of income disparity between agricultural and urban households emerged following rapid economic growth through industrialization since the 1980s. In recent years, emphasis has been placed on a wider set of goals, including revitalizing the rural economy, exploring the export market, improving the environmental performance of agriculture, and promoting the food industry. The government of this country has provided models for nature-based solutions by emphasizing the maximum use of local conditions, prioritizing local products, maximum use of organic inputs and at the same time minimizing waste. In addition, it continues to improve competitiveness in the agricultural sector by promoting advanced technologies, including the Smart Agriculture Project (Building Smart Farm Innovation Valleys), which implements related policies including education for youth and demonstration of technology and equipment.
Development in the agricultural sector
From traditional methods to smart and modern approaches, the agricultural sector in South Korea has always experienced significant development. Although the high speed of industrialization has led to a decrease in the share of the agricultural sector in the country’s GDP in recent decades, a significant part of the country’s economy is still dependent on agriculture. Since South Korea is a very mountainous and rocky country, the high and mountainous areas of this country occupy more than 72% of the total area of South Korea, so that only 20% of the country’s land is suitable for agriculture. While South Korea has successfully focused on preserving mountain forests and preventing deforestation in recent decades, the landform are still used for agriculture. However, urbanization and the development of residential buildings have led to a decrease in the area under cultivation of agricultural lands (dry land, paddy fields) from 1.8 million hectares in 2005 to 1.52 million hectares in 2022 and ultimately to a decrease in the production of agricultural products.
After World War II and liberation from Japanese dominance, South Korea faced severe food shortages. In order to increase agricultural production, the country’s government began land reform plans in the late 1940s in order to redistribute land among farmers and helped farmers gain access to credit and modern farming techniques by creating cooperatives
On the other hand, the increase in population and the absolute decrease in the area under cultivation of agricultural land in South Korea has led to the average area under cultivation for each person decreasing from 3.8% in 2005 to 2.9% in 2022. As can be seen in chart 1, rice is still the main product of this country, which accounts for more than 86% of the volume of agricultural products. Based on this the cultivated area of paddy fields with 775.6 thousand hectares constitutes more than half of the agricultural lands of this country. The climate of this country is hot and humid in summer and cold and dry in winter, which is known as monsoon based on weather patterns. On the other hand, the summer heat and rains make South Korea an ideal place for rice cultivation, for this reason the paddy fields can be seen everywhere in the country.
Chart 2. Cultivated area for South Korean agricultural land and orchards
In order to encourage growth and self-sufficiency in the supply of its main food (rice), the South Korean government has banned the import of this product to this country under normal conditions. In addition, it buys rice from farmers at a higher price and helps consumers by providing subsidies so that affordable rice is available to a minority of people. It can be said that the factors mentioned before have played a significant role in South Korea’s self-sufficiency in the supply of this product. Other agricultural products, including barley with 3.6%, potatoes with 4.8%, beans with 3.6% and other grains with 1.5%, have taken up the volume of products produced in the agricultural land of this country. It should be noted that, in addition to being self-sufficient in the supply of rice, South Korea significantly produces and supplies many fruits, including apples (23.7%), pears (10.5%), grapes (7.9%), tangerines (25.5%), persimmons (18.2%) and peaches (8%), which is about 2.3 million tons, and vegetables (fruits, leaves, stems, roots, spices, and cooking vegetables). This country continues to produce these products to meet its domestic needs.
Metals used in manufacture of agricultural equipment in South Korea
The move towards industrialization created a significant turning point in the agricultural sector. Mechanization, as a vital input for the production of crops, plays an important role in agricultural productivity and leads to more areas being used to produce desired amounts of crops and also to preserve agricultural natural resources. On the other hand, the use of new technologies that are compatible with the environment enables farmers to produce crops more efficiently using less energy. In recent decades, the use of metals in agricultural mechanization has significantly improved agricultural practices.
The region’s favorable climate, fertile land and abundant water resources have supported agricultural activities in this country since ancient times. Early Korean civilizations relied on agriculture as their main means of living, growing crops such as rice, barley, millet, and vegetables, but the introduction of iron tools improved farming practices
Due to its durability, strength and cost-effectiveness, steel is considered the most important raw material for manufacturing agricultural equipment. Exceptional versatility and durability in environments dealing with moisture and chemicals have led to steel being widely used in manufacture of agricultural equipment. Equipment such as harvester components, seeders, irrigation systems, tractor parts, plowing machines, pesticide spreaders, rakes and shovels are made from steel. The light nature, corrosion resistance, and high strength-to-weight ratio of aluminum have led to it being often favored in manufacture of components such as engine blocks, transfer cases, chassis frames, body panels for tractors, and other agricultural vehicles. The use of aluminum helps to reduce the overall weight of the machinery and improve fuel efficiency. Regarding copper, it should be said that it is primarily used in the electrical systems of agricultural machinery. Copper metal is used as an excellent conductor of electricity in wiring, connectors, switches and motors. Copper wiring ensures efficient power transmission and reliable operation of various electrical components in agricultural equipment. Chart 3 shows the consumption value of metals used in manufacture of agricultural equipment. According to estimates, between 2000 and 2021, an average of $5 million of steel, $880 thousand of aluminum and $1.2 million of copper have been consumed in agricultural equipment in South Korea. This number is forecasted to increase to $8.9 million for steel, $1.9 million for aluminum, and $2.6 million for copper in 2027.
