[Editorial] Korean Farming Has Ten Years to Work With

The National Assembly has ratified the rice agreement. It was a difficult process for those who forced the bill through and those who physically tried to prevent it from happening. Protests expressing farmers' frustration and sense of betrayal broke out in various places. Everyone had different beliefs and is in different situations, but everyone had reasons for their actions.

The harsh reality for a country like Korea that lives of its trade is that it is hard to go against the currents of international commerce. It makes sense when they say delaying a vote for even longer would have allowed the authorities to come up with some brilliant moves to avoid facing the problem. On the other hand, you can really feel it when farmers protest that it is only they who are being sacrificed. What is sad is that you wish the government could have lessened their pain by listening to them better and giving them reason to have faith.

Now it is time to clear away the deep conflict and for people to pool their wisdom together on ways to save the Korean agriculture industry and agricultural areas. Import quotas have gone up to 7.96 percent of domestic consumption by 2014, but if you try hard to look at it positively Korea has earned time by deferring tariffs until then. The country must not repeat the mistake of wasting the extra time like it did with the first tariff deferment, which lasted for ten years after the Uruguay Round. The government says it plans to spend W119 trillion on the industry and farming regions. That money has to be spent on ways to make Korean agriculture more competitive and stabilize farm income in time for the complete liberalization of the rice market ten years from now.

We would like to see the government review its existing measures and establish additional ones that actively reflect farmers' views and keep them from losing hope. It should consider profoundly changing its position on suggestions such as legislating plans for a self-sufficient food supply. There is a big difference between showing determination to do something about the issue in such a way and just vaguely saying the country's farming industry should be defended. All the ruling and opposition parties say they are going to come up with some fundamental measures. Many times before there has been heated excitement about doing something only to have things quickly go cold. That must not happen this time around.

The Hankyoreh, 24 November 2005.

[Translations by Seoul Selection]