The first rice harvest of the season got underway Wednesday in Goseong-gun, Gangwon Province — South Korea's northernmost county — drawing attention for its remarkably early timing.
According to Goseong-gun, farmer Ham Jong-un harvested Odae rice at his paddy in Gyodong-ri, Ganseong-eup on Wednesday, 117 days after transplanting seedlings on April 24.
Odae is an early-maturing variety with a relatively short growing period, widely cultivated by farmers who aim to bring their crop to market before the chuseok holiday. It is also considered one of the higher-quality domestically grown rice varieties.
This summer brought severe heat waves and prolonged drought, raising greater concerns than usual about growth disruptions and pest outbreaks in rice paddies.
Farmers overcame those challenges through careful water management and timely field pest-control support from Goseong-gun.
The total rice cultivation area in Goseong-gun this year covers 2,644 hectares (approximately 26.44 million square meters).
Despite the heat waves, overall crop conditions have improved, and rice output this year is expected to rise about 5 to 10 percent above the average of recent years.
"Thanks to the dedicated efforts of our farmers, we have achieved this precious first harvest despite the difficult conditions of heat and drought in 2026," Goseong-gun Mayor Ham Myeong-jun said. "As the full harvest season gets underway, we will strengthen on-site guidance for timely harvesting and post-harvest quality management, and continue to roll out a range of support measures so that farmers can produce high-quality rice with confidence in the face of climate change."
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