President Lee Jae Myung promotes smart farming and innovation-driven growth in Korea

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung spent Friday in the rice paddies of Sobo Myeon, Gunwi County, Daegu, operating a semi‑autonomous rice transplanter and taking part in a drone‑based pesticide‑spraying demonstration. After the fieldwork he joined a traditional "saecham" gathering with local farmers, sharing makgeolli and discussing rural concerns, underscoring the government’s push for smart‑farming technology amid labor shortages and an aging farming population.

In a separate meeting at the presidential office in Seoul, Lee met Nobel‑winning economist Peter Howitt. Howitt praised South Korea’s high R&D spending and policies that support startups and SMEs, saying the country is implementing innovation‑led growth strategies “so well.” The dialogue focused on boosting productivity through creative‑destruction, government incentives for research, and a fair competitive environment, reflecting the administration’s broader economic vision for the second year in office.