South Korean GAP agricultural certification recognition

South Korean local governments and agricultural groups were recognized at the 12th Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) Excellence Case Competition. The event, organized by the National Agricultural Products Quality Management Service, seeks to bolster consumer trust in GAP-certified produce.

In the local government category, Seosan City was awarded the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Award for integrating GAP with local food systems to reduce farmer costs and expand market access. In the production category, Gyeongsangbuk-do province received several honors, including a Grand Prize for Goryeong County’s strawberry exports, a Gold Award for Sangju City’s grape production, and a Bronze Award for Yeongyang County’s certification diversification.

Following these recognitions, details emerged regarding the scale of success for the Woori Deul En Agricultural Union in Goryeong-gun. Since obtaining GAP certification in 2017, the union has implemented strict quality controls, including pre-shipment safety inspections and specialized cold storage and transport systems. These efforts contributed to a significant increase in strawberry exports, which rose from 840 kg in 2023 to 30,176 kg by May 2026, reaching seven countries including Hong Kong.