Rural Development Administration (RDA) Administrator Cho Chae-ho, third from right, exchanges opinions with young farmers during a session organized by the RDA at its headquarters in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, Sept. 1. Courtesy of RDA

By Lee Kyung-min

JEONJU  Farming used to be about working endless hours in the sun, defined by repetitive, time-consuming labor that goes on for days or months. It was rarely associated with creating high or added value, the key criteria for determining an industry's contribution to the advancement of the economy.

Few would hold farming in the same regard as manufacturing, for example, especially in Korea where rapid and intensive growth over the past few decades was underpinned almost exclusively by exports of manufactured goods and services.

No longer is that the case, as evidenced by a growing number of young farmers managing their crops using smart technologies, a strength of Korea known as a global leader in the high-tech industry.

Temperature, humidity and LED lighting are among the critical controllable factors that optimize the production of high-quality popular fruit and vegetables, including strawberries and tomatoes.

"At the touch of a button, practically everything is manageable," said Shin Na-ra, a 23-year-old farmer who owns a smart strawberry farm in Sangju, North Gyeongsang Province.

Rural Development Administration Administrator Cho Chae-ho celebrates the organization's 60th anniversary, at its headquarters in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, Sept. 1. Courtesy of RDA

She is among many young farmers who shared their stories of finding interests in the traditional industry, with the assistance of the Rural Development Administration (RDA). The agriculture ministry-affiliated organization celebrated its 60th anniversary on Sept. 1 at its headquarters in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province.

Shin, a public administration major at a Seoul-based university, decided to seek a job in farming, in what she said was an opportunity with great future prospects in the years to come.

She came home frustrated with all the courses taught online due to the COVID-19 pandemic, thinking that it would be better to prepare for the employment market.

"I had a part-time job at a large greenhouse farm near my home, and that was when I saw how a smart farm worked. I thought 'this is it.'"

Landing a job at a large conglomerate can only get someone so far, in her view, with constant pressure to compete. Farmers are aging, and there will be room for the young generation to see a future, she said.

"I underwent 20 months of training and education, including field experience, to become a farmer. My business partner and I began farming strawberries in June on over 5,000 square meters of land."

She plans to earn master's and doctorate degrees in farming after finishing university education. Her final goal is to become a consultant.

"Farming consultants are highly educated," she said. "However, they have little experience in how farming actually works, a reason why they are criticized for making recommendations and suggestions far out of touch with reality. I want to be someone who can help advance farming based both on hands-on experience and research."