Over 30,000 Rice Farmers Gather at Pohang Sports Complex Area from October 1 to 3

Gyeongsangbuk-do is hosting the ‘9th National Rice Farmers Convention’ around the Pohang Sports Complex area from October 1 to 3. The event is hosted by the Korea Rice Farmers Central Federation (KRF) and organized by the Gyeongsangbuk-do Federation and the Pohang City Federation.

The convention brings together some 30,000 attendees, including Gyeongsangbuk-do Vice Governor for Administration Hwang Myung-seok, local lawmakers, the Mayor of Pohang, provincial council members, officials from related organizations such as the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Rural Development Administration, members and families from 9 provincial and metropolitan city federations and 120 city and county federations, as well as local residents.

Held under the slogan “Again, the Era of Rice!”, the convention presents a leap forward for the rice industry and its future vision. It embodies the message that the essence of agriculture is the power of the future and that rice is the hope of the Republic of Korea.

On October 1, the ‘Republic of Korea Rice Industry Future Forum (Academic Symposium)’ will be held, followed by a welcome reception, opening ceremony, and the ‘Rice-tasting POWER Concert’ on October 2. During the opening ceremony, outstanding members will be awarded, and key VIPs and city/province representatives will perform a vision proclamation ceremony under the banner “Again, the Era of Rice!”. When participants press buttons, 129 celebratory fireworks (shell bursts)—symbolizing the nationwide rice farmers organization—will light up the Pohang sky.

Throughout the convention period, an agricultural machinery exhibition hall consisting of 45 booths, an exhibition hall for premium brand rice from all eight provinces nationwide, a rice consumption promotion pavilion, and a local premium agricultural product sales market will operate inside the indoor gymnasium and outdoor plaza.

The Gyeongsangbuk-do Federation of the Korea Rice Farmers was established in February 1999. Comprising 10,410 members across 21 cities and counties in the province, including Dalseong-gun and Gunwi-gun in Daegu, it is an agricultural organization that supports national food security through high-quality rice production and the dissemination of farming technology, while leading changes in agriculture and rural communities.

Cho Hee-sung, President of the Korea Rice Farmers Central Federation, stated, “Let us together create a new era where the value of our rice is re-illuminated and expands beyond tradition into a future high-tech industry.”

Hwang Myung-seok, Vice Governor for Administration of Gyeongsangbuk-do, remarked, “It is a pleasure to meet the nation’s rice farmers in Pohang, who have guarded the nation’s lifeline of food. Gyeongsangbuk-do will lead the scaling up of farming and innovation in the rice industry through agricultural transformation joint farming, and support rice in leaping forward into a high-value-added K-food cutting-edge industry.”