It is well known that Korea achieved the "Miracle on the Han River" through rapid industrialization. However, few are aware that this economic success would not have been possible without the significant growth in agriculture.
"While it's not widely recognized domestically, Korea stands as the only country to have achieved unparalleled compressed growth in agriculture," Lee Joo-ryang, senior researcher at the Science and Technology Policy Institute, said in a recent phone interview with The Korea Times. "Within just 70 years, Korean agriculture managed to reach productivity levels that took advanced nations centuries to achieve."
Looking back to the 1950s and 1960s, flour and powdered milk supplied by the U.S. were staples for the public. Addressing the food shortage was the government's top priority. Even the hierarchy of government ministries reflected this urgency, with the agricultural ministry ranked just below the presidential office and defense ministry.
The growth of agriculture, pursued alongside five-year economic development plans, generated purchasing power and helped facilitate the transition of the workforce from rural areas to urban centers.
Thanks to this, Koreans now consume more, pay less and source their food from more distant locations than ever before. However, this has led to an unexpected outcome: many people today lack basic knowledge about agriculture.
"Agriculture means food. Yet many people don't know how food ends up on their table or how rural and urban regions coexist, largely because agriculture is not taught in schools," Lee said.
Lee has been dedicated to tackling what he refers to as "agricultural illiteracy."
Recently, he published a book titled "The Untold Story of Real Agricultural Economics" (direct translation) to help bridge the gap between the public and the sector. In addition, Lee works as a mediator between Korea's scientific and agricultural sectors, bridging policy gaps and ensuring the effective use of funds invested in agricultural R&D.
Also a rice grower himself, Lee says the most rewarding moments are those spent with farmers in the field. "A policy researcher who has visited the field 99 times is different from one who has visited it 100 times," he said.
But why is it so important to learn about agriculture in a country where nine out of 10 people live in urban areas?
This is because agriculture serves as both an industry and a foundational pillar of the nation, according to Lee. While the industrial aspects of agriculture can be explained through economic logic, its role as a pillar of national stability falls within the domain of policy and requires collective public consensus.
By fully utilizing Korea's 1.5 million hectares of farmland, 25 percent of domestic production can be achieved. This means that Korea must import 75 percent of its agricultural products.
"Just as no country outsources its national defense, public safety or education entirely based on economic efficiency, there is no nation in the world that fully outsources its agriculture to other countries," Lee said. "The more people gain an accurate understanding of agriculture, the most robust and meaningful agreements can be reached (in supporting the sector)."
Yet, becoming an advanced agricultural nation is not about earning significant profits through production itself, Lee added. Such a structure, he said, is typical of developing nations.
Instead, in urban Korea, agriculture should play a role similar to that of defenders in a soccer game — safeguarding and supporting offensive industries so they can generate greater profits.
"We refer to specifics like semiconductors, automobiles or shipbuilding (in manufacturing industries). This should be the same in agriculture. Rice is distinct from soybeans, wheat differs, livestock operates on entirely separate systems and outdoor crops and floriculture are vastly different as well. Yet, we simplify it all under the umbrella of agriculture," Lee said.
"While it may be impossible for everyone to fully understand its vast complexity, scale and depth, I hope that at least its underlying philosophy can be shared and appreciated. That is the first step toward becoming an advanced agricultural nation."