Many are aware of Korea’s popular Pepero Day as being on the 11th of November, however, were you aware that November 11th is also Korea’s ‘Farmer’s Day’? It's a widely known annual commemorative day observed in various countries to celebrate and promote the pride of farmers, their hard work, and their contribution, as well as remind us of the importance of agriculture.
Since the Goguryeo period, Koreans have been heavily involved in farming, which led to the designation of this day of commemoration and acknowledgment to local farmers. It is also considered a time for farmers to relax and enjoy their harvest. The combination of the Chinese characters signifying ‘earth’ and ‘soil’ creates the numerical value of ‘11’, leading to the designation of ‘Farmer’s Day’ on the 11th of November.
On Farmer’s Day, various commemorative events are commonly held under South Korea's Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry every year. These events help farmers find support to contribute to the development of agriculture and rural areas, allow farmers to receive special prizes or even prize money, and boost farmers' morale.
Through Farmer’s Day events, the government and institutions such as the Korea Agricultural Cooperative Federation can overcome the growing pressure on agricultural trade cooperation and openness, including the DDA, FTA, and rice distribution negotiations. It also helps in the promotion of the policy of continuous agricultural development.
Though in recent times, there has been a significant rise in the worldwide popularity and attention of Korean music, food, and IT, Korean agriculture seems to sit on the back burner. Continuous focus on these events can help promote more popularity and support towards Korean agriculture and hopefully eventually lead to our proud local farmers' much-needed moral and financial support!
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