Agriculture Ministry outlines plan to address population decline in rural areas

The Agriculture Ministry plans to combat rural population decline by enhancing medical infrastructure and welfare programs, alongside addressing climate change and promoting agricultural growth.

Agriculture Minister Song Mi-ryung speaks during a conference held in Seoul on Nov. 11, 2024. [YONHAP]

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said Wednesday it will continue efforts to address the dwindling population in rural regions by bolstering medical infrastructure and improving the welfare of farmers.

The ministry outlined the initiative in a report marking the start of the second half of the Yoon Suk Yeol administration, noting that it aims to expand the social safety net in rural areas to combat the ongoing population exodus.

"During the past two and a half years, there have been many achievements, but there are still pressing issues, including rice supply instability, the population crisis in rural regions and climate change," Agriculture Minister Song Mi-ryung said.

"The government will address the changing climate and demographic environment to transform the agricultural sector into a new growth engine and transform rural areas into a land of opportunity for the people," she added.

The ministry, meanwhile, noted that Korea has maintained stable growth in food exports this year, which reached a record high of $8.2 billion during the January-October period.

It also highlighted progress in taming inflation in agricultural products, with consumer prices in the sector rising 1.1 percent on year in October, compared with a 9.8 percent increase in May.

Yonhap