Pohang, Gyeongju, and Yeongcheon farms recognized for superior breeding; Pohang Livestock Cooperative also honored.

Gyeongsangbuk-do's premium beef cattle industry has once again demonstrated its national competitiveness, capturing second place in the local government category at the 2026 National Hanwoo Competition.

According to the Gyeongsangbuk-do provincial government, the awards ceremony took place on October 30 at the Nonghyup Anseong Farmland complex. Building on its stellar performance—including a first-place finish at the 21st competition in 2024—the province successfully maintained its top-tier status this year.

Outstanding Individual and Institutional Achievements

Several local breeders and organizations from the region stood out across various competitive categories:

*Pohang (Kim Young-seok): Won the Grand Prize (Top Excellence Award) in the heifers category (cows that have not yet given birth).
*Gyeongju (Choi Sam-ho): Received the Excellence Award in Breeding Cow Division 1.
*Yeongcheon (Kim Young-ho): Earned the Encouragement Award in Breeding Cow Division 2.
*Pohang Livestock Cooperative: Awarded the Bronze Prize in the organizational category.

Driving Competitiveness Through Advanced Breeding

Hosted biennially by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA), the National Hanwoo Competition evaluates breeding achievements and promotes continuous genetic improvement among female cattle. The event assesses top-performing cattle across six distinct categories, ranging from calves and mature cows to genomic analysis evaluations.

Park Chan-guk, Director-General of Agriculture, Livestock, and Distribution Bureau for Gyeongsangbuk-do, attributed the success to the collective dedication of local livestock cooperatives, the Hanwoo Association, and individual farmers.

"This remarkable achievement is the result of passionate, collaborative efforts toward cattle improvement," Park stated. "Gyeongsangbuk-do will continue to boost the competitiveness of our local beef industry and maximize farm household incomes by introducing diverse policies and support programs, including genomic analysis and embryo transfer technologies."

[ⓒ Global Economic Times. 무단전재-재배포 금지]