ABSTRACT
Rural communities in Korea were traditionally characterized by a deeply rooted ‘vicious circle of poverty’, rural unemployment and underemployment, a large illiterate population, little experience in modern organization, little access to modern technology and a fatalistic view of the natural and social environment. (1)
For two decades of rapid industrialization and urbanization the Korean government’s major goals for the agricultural sector have been national food security, income equity for rural families, price stability, and rural welfare. The government has pursued these objectives through policies and strategies that have resulted in high levels of self-sufficiency in most foodstuffs produced domestically, virtual equality of farm and non-farm household incomes, and minimal seasonal variations in producer and consumer prices for agricultural products.
