Korean and Chinese agriculture experts met in Beijing to discuss policy directions for attracting more young people and skilled workers to rural areas in both countries, amid deepening rural aging and weak youth inflows.
The discussion took place at the 33rd Korea-China Agriculture Forum, hosted by the Korea Rural Economic Institute (KREI) China office.
Zeng Junxia, an associate researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said in a presentation that many young people in China have recently returned to rural hometowns to start businesses. She said government programs such as a rural CEO system and a science and technology commissioner system are gradually showing results.
Zeng called for stronger legal foundations, an integrated long-term training system, expanded market-based incentives and stronger support for existing young farmers.
Park Mi-seon, an associate research fellow at KREI, said South Korea has continued to expand policies to foster successor farmers and young farmers. She said the government has built a comprehensive support system covering income and financial assistance — including settlement support payments and financing for young smart farms — as well as farmland, education and housing.
Park said the government aims to foster 30,000 young farmers by 2027 and is strengthening step-by-step support. To raise settlement rates, she said, South Korea needs a system to verify management performance, expanded management-base support linked to agricultural policies, stronger pre-entry exploration for prospective farmers and locally tailored talent development.
In a subsequent discussion, experts from both countries agreed that expanding the number of young farmers will require comprehensive policies that link income, living conditions, education and access to farmland, rather than stand-alone support.
Lim Young-a, head of KREI’s China office, said the institute will continue to expand Korea-China exchanges on agricultural policy and pursue joint research and cooperation to develop young farmers and rural talent.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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