New Rural Development Administration Administrator Lee Seung-don said on the 17th, "We will expand the agricultural application of advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI)."
In his inauguration speech that day, the Administrator said, "I will support the development of agriculture as a national strategic industry."
Specifically, the Administrator said, "I will establish an AI-based smart data agricultural system in the fields, utilizing big data on crop growth, pest occurrence information, and livestock management."
He also stated, "I will spread low-cost, economically viable smart farm technologies, such as developing a customized smart greenhouse model for small- and medium-sized farms that all farmers can utilize and commercializing the open greenhouse integrated management platform (Ara Greenhouse)."
He added, "We will secure various plant genetic resources both domestically and internationally, sharing them with the private sector, while developing and distributing high-value-added green bio core technologies and industrialization technologies based on microbial utilization technologies."
The Administrator said, "We will expand the functional characteristics and use areas of agricultural products, developing functional materials for alternative proteins and medicinal foods," and added, "We will enhance upcycling technologies using agricultural by-products to support the development of the food tech industry."
The Administrator also stated, "We will proactively respond to the climate crisis and increase the food self-sufficiency rate to ensure sustainable agriculture."
The Administrator stated, "I will distribute high-quality varieties and cultivation techniques that are resilient to high temperatures, drought, and pests," and added, "We will support climate-adaptive agriculture, such as enhancing supply and demand prediction models using agricultural satellites and expanding nationwide early warning services for agricultural weather disasters."
The Administrator said, "Mechanization of cultivated agriculture is no longer an option but a core area that must be resolved," and stated, "I will establish a mechanization system for the entire process from sowing and transplanting to harvest for eight major crops that account for over 70% of open-field crops."
He continued, "I will strive to create safe and happy rural areas where anyone in the country wants to live for balanced national growth." The Administrator added, "I will contribute to revitalizing the local economy by collaborating with local governments to foster competitive regionally specialized crops and develop rural tourism programs, as well as supporting tailored assistance for young farmers throughout their entire cycle and fostering smart agricultural management bodies."
The Administrator emphasized, "I will technically support the expansion of K-food exports, including the development of export agricultural products linked to K-culture and the dissemination of technology to respond to non-tariff barriers." He added, "I will further elevate the status of K-agricultural technology by collaborating with technology-leading countries and international organizations."