Rice, shrimp and gim: Hongseong County battles Korea's rural decline with self-sustaining export economy

For the people of Hongseong, its future survival and success is not measured in scale or numbers but in coexistence, said Joo Hyeong-ro, farmer and president of Hongseong’s Mundang Eco-Friendly Farm Village.

[Local 100]Korea is witnessing a surge in foreign tourists, but the crowds are heavily focused in its capital metropolis, Seoul. Despite great landscapes, gourmet delicacies and grand festivals, rural areas across the peninsula are having a hard time attracting tourists. With the goal of welcoming 20 million foreign travelers to Korea by the end of this year, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism introduced a two-year project, Local 100, in October 2023. The culture minister will personally visit each of the 100 selected areas throughout 2024 and 2025 to introduce Korea’s hidden gems and find out what the central government can do to help spread the tourism wealth. The Korea JoongAng Daily will be accompanying the minister on his journeys.

Organic rice fields at Mundang Eco-Friendly Farm Village in Hongseong County, South Chungcheong [LEE JIAN]

Hongseong County, SOUTH CHUNGCHEONG — Like many remote countryside towns, Hongseong County in South Chungcheong faces an uncertain future. Its population of 97,524 registered residents, as per the Ministry of Interior and Safety, is waning and aging. Houses are empty and the streets are quiet.

But while most rural and even some urban cities are scrambling to retain their residents and draw tourists, Hongseong County is more confident. It has implemented policies targeting potential newcomers, like establishing a childrens' center that takes care of children after school — despite the shrinking classrooms. One of its villages has presented a 100-year plan, instead of a short term plan that just makes ends meet.

Honseong County residents enjoy an afternoon with Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Song Mi-ryung, far right, and Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Yu In-chon on Aug. 1. [MINISTRY OF CULTURE, SPORTS AND TOURISM]

Sausages made with Honseong County's garlic [MINISTRY OF CULTURE, SPORTS AND TOURISM]

The Korea JoongAng Daily took a trip to Hongseong earlier this month, and found that its confidence is rooted in a solid sense of identity and a slate of values that its community members have proudly endorsed.

For the people of Hongseong, its future survival and success is not measured in scale or numbers but in coexistence, said Joo Hyeong-ro, farmer and president of Hongseong’s Mundang Eco-Friendly Farm Village. “We strive to coexist with nature, as well as each other.”

Children on a field trip to Hongseong County's rice fields [JOONGANG ILBO]

For those who are new, the old villagers teach them the ways of farm life without being overbearing. “We are okay with being slow,” Joo said, “and we also hope we can serve as a model for other rural areas.”

The county’s ideals have translated to the introduction of innovative farming methods, tourist programs and businesses. From organic food and farming to a booming dry seaweed operation, here are Hongseong County’s answers to its future in an uncertain world. Food and tourism: Organic rice

With some 708,000 hectares (1.7 million acres) of rice fields in Korea, according to Statistics Korea data from 2023, Hongseong County’s rice fields may be small in size but have an edge in quality.

Specializing in organically harvested rice, Hongseong’s Mundang Eco-Friendly Farm Village is the first place in Korea to have implemented live ducks to help farm its rice in 1993. Releasing ducks into the rice fields controls weeds, and their excrement functions as a natural fertilizer, making chemical fertilizers and pesticides unnecessary.

Ducks at organic rice fields at Mundang Eco-Friendly Farm Village in Hongseong County, South Chungcheong[MINISTRY OF CULTURE, SPORTS AND TOURISM]

The village has also made its organic rice fields into a self-sustaining tourist product by hosting educational field trips for students, selling baked goods made from its organic rice and offering cooking classes with the rice to tourists.

Everything is run by the villagers, who have formed cooperatives and organized themselves as contributing members of their hometown. For instance, a cooking class making organic rice pizzas is run by 17 local middle-aged ladies who used to be stay-at-home wives but after their kids left their nests, they wanted to do more for their community.

The village has been recognized in the Culture Ministry’s selection of 100 Tangible and Intangible Cultural Resources.

Mundang Eco-Friendly Farm Village has also been submitted to be labeled a United Nations Best Tourism Village — a global initiative by the UN to “highlight villages where tourism preserves cultures and traditions, celebrates diversity, provides opportunities and safeguards biodiversity.” Results are set to be unveiled in October.

Culture Minister Yu In-chon makes an organic rice pizza in Hongseong County [MINISTRY OF CULTURE, SPORTS AND TOURISM]

The county’s reputation for organic food is also attracting new, young farmers and entrepreneurs who feel their values align with those of Hongseong.

Ich Brewis a local beer brewery that crafts beer with Hongseong’s organic rice and barley. The owner, Nam Kyeong-sook, moved to Hongseong from the city in 2009 to become a farmer, and officially started selling her beers last year.

Sandeul Food is a food processing company focusing on pre-packaged broths using organic vegetables, some of which are grown in Hongseong. Founded by Yang Min-seok, Sandeul Food has been exporting its products to the United States since 2022.

“The reputation of Hongseong as an organic farming village is what attracts new, young entrepreneurs and is also what sells today,” said Nam. “I take great pride in having my business based in Hongseong.”

Gim: “Semiconductor of the sea”

Gim, otherwise known as dry seaweed, is one of Honseong County's prized exports [MINISTRY OF CULTURE, SPORTS AND TOURISM]

South Chungcheong’s gim (dry seaweed) exports hit a record high of $183.147 million last year, according to the Korea International Trade Association (KITA). Over 60 percent of its exported gim comes in the form of seasoned seaweed snacks.

Nearly half of the gim production factories are located in Hongseong County, particularly concentrated in Gwangcheon-eup. Gwangcheon gim, recognized as some of the best quality gim among locals, has become its own brand. It is harvested in the Yellow Sea and is characterized by its softness and slight sweetness.

The United States is the biggest buyer, accounting for $48.7 million of the province’s total gim exports, followed by countries such as China, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam.

A gim factory in Hongseong County [MINISTRY OF CULTURE, SPORTS AND TOURISM]

“Koreans consume gim as banchan [side dish] during their meals, but foreigners seem to prefer gim as a snack in between meals,” said Kim Jae-yoo, CEO of company Gwangcheon Kim. His factory is one of the first Gwangcheon gim factories in the area and was founded in the 1970s.

Factories have been quick to cater to foreign palates, producing dozens of different creative flavors of gim, like wasabi, grilled onion and teriyaki. Gim exports, consequently, have continuously grown, and today, the export figure is double that of 2019, KITA reported.

“Our exports have been so robust that they have actually driven up the domestic prices of gim,” said Kim. “I see gim as Korea’s semiconductor of the sea.”

Gim at a factory in Honseong is being put inside Trader Joe's box to be shipped to the United States [LEE JIAN]

Eco-friendly and delicious: Hongseong’s shrimp jeotgal

Shrimp jeotgal, otherwise known as salted and fermented shrimp [JOONGANG ILBO]

Following the prestige of its gim is Hongseong County’s shrimp jeotgal. Shrimp jeotgal is salted tiny shrimp. Each shrimp measures at around one centimeter (0.39 inches) and a collection of them is left to ferment typically for at least three months — depending on the fermentation method. It is a major ingredient in kimchi, incorporated to add saltiness and an umami flavor to the final outcome.

Hongseong’s jeotgal uniquely uses a wholly natural fermentation method involving an underground tunnel that was used by miners. From the late 1930s to the 1980s, Hongseong was a mining town, located near gold mines and holding one of Asia’s largest asbestos mines at the time.

Jars of shrimp jeotgal are stored inside a bygone mining tunnel in Hongseong County. [MINISTRY OF CULTURE, SPORTS AND TOURISM]

Shrimp jeotgal is a longtime regional specialty of the county, with its fermentation method being created by locals trying to find a way of stopping their shrimp from rotting in the summer heat. To do this, shrimp vendors experimented in different ways and, in 1954, landed on the abandoned gold mine tunnels, according to county officials.

These cave-like establishments, with rocky walls that stretch for approximately 150 meters (492 feet), maintain relatively the same temperature of 14 to 15 degrees Celsius throughout all four seasons. The freshly caught shrimp from the Yellow Sea are doused in salt, put in hangari (large clay fermentation pots) and stored inside the tunnel for three months.

Today, there are over 100 shrimp jeotgal vendors in Hongseong County, concentrated in Gwangcheon. Some 4,000 tons of its shrimp jeotgal are sold across the country. In Seoul, they are considered a luxury, sold at over twice the price of their counterparts.

The eco-friendly fermentation method of Hongseong’s shrimp jeotgal is currently under evaluation by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries to become recognized as national fishing heritage.

Shrimp jeotgal is also a source of tourism each October, when the county holds its Gwangcheon shrimp jeotgal festival. During this, visitors can enjoy an endless feast of shrimp jeotgal with suyuk (boiled pork) and kimchi.

Adding momentum to a brighter future

Minister Yu In-chon, second from left, and Minister Song Mi-ryung to his right enjoy an afternoon with the residents of Hongseong County [MINISTRY OF CULTURE, SPORTS AND TOURISM]

Parts of Hongseong County have been chosen by the Culture Ministry, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and local conglomerate Shinsegae for their respective business endeavors. The three organizations ultimately hope to closely work together to bolster Hongseong County.

“The Culture Ministry’s ‘Korea’s Cultural Cities,’ the Agriculture Ministry’s ‘New Ruralism 2024’ and Shinsegae’s ‘Local is Shinsegae’ projects all share the same goal of bolstering the rural areas of Korea,” said Culture Minister Yu In-chon. He added that he expects "explosive synergy" from the three organizations' future collaborative efforts. "Through active public-private cooperations, we will unearth the hidden charms of the region."

Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Song Mi-ryung agreed.

“In order to develop a business model for these rural areas, the participation of private companies that utilize the area’s tangible and intangible heritage is essential,” she said. “We will also closely cooperate with the Culture Ministry to bolster the cultural tourism of Korea’s rural parts.”

BY LEE JIAN [lee.jian@joongang.co.kr]