Gangwon Province Governor Woo Sang-ho smiles while harvesting unification rice in a civilian-restricted village in his hometown of Cheorwon on Saturday.
Gangwon Province Governor Woo Sang-ho smiles while harvesting unification rice in a civilian-restricted village in his hometown of Cheorwon on Saturday.

Gangwon Province Governor Woo Sang-ho returned to his hometown of Cheorwon on Saturday, a national holiday marking National Foundation Day, visiting the civilian control zone village of Naepori in Cheorwon-eup to take part in a unification rice harvest.

About 200 people joined the event, including the governor, local farmers, heads of provincial and national agricultural organizations, and civic groups focused on urban farming and peace. Participants harvested rice by hand with sickles and shared a traditional field meal.

"Cheorwon is the heart of Gangwon Province's rice farming and the place that confronts the reality of division and the border most closely," Woo said. "Just as with the unification rice harvested today, I will work to ensure that agriculture continues to connect people and carry forward the values of peace and coexistence."

Harvesting rice under clear skies, Woo spoke about the significance of the unification rice gathered by himself, local residents and fellow officials.

Farmers and staff from the Gangwon provincial government and Cheorwon county office work together as one team for the rice harvest.
Farmers and staff from the Gangwon provincial government and Cheorwon county office work together as one team for the rice harvest.

Unification rice is grown and harvested from paddies within the Cheorwon civilian control zone, using varieties including Odae and native heirloom strains. Farmers and citizens participate together in both the planting and harvesting, keeping alive the spirit of peace and exchange through agriculture.

This year, organizers used differently colored native rice varieties to create a pattern of the Korean Peninsula across the paddies, offering a symbolic expression of hope for unification and peace.

Cheorwon accounts for 33.7 percent of Gangwon Province's total rice output and is the province's leading rice-producing region, with about 70 percent of local farmers engaged in rice cultivation.

After harvesting rice himself, Woo held a field meal meeting where he listened to farmers' concerns and suggestions on rice supply and price stability, the burden of agricultural inputs and operating costs, and securing rural labor.

Residents and officials in Cheorwon share the joy of the unification rice harvest.
Residents and officials in Cheorwon share the joy of the unification rice harvest.

Gangwon Province plans to continue addressing challenges facing the agricultural sector through measures including stabilizing farm produce prices, expanding sales channels, easing production cost burdens, securing foreign seasonal workers, and supporting young farmers in settling in rural areas.

Going forward, Cheorwon's public and private sectors plan to incorporate the meaning of unification rice into peace and unification programs that bring together farmers and youth.


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