# South Korean rural support fund funding status

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/south-korean-rural-support-fund-funding-status
> Updated: 2026-10-06T01:55:48.000Z. Sources: 15. Developments: 2.

The Rural Cooperation Fund, established in 2017 to support agricultural and fishing sectors impacted by Free Trade Agreements, has struggled to meet its 1 trillion won funding target. As of July 2024, the fund had accumulated only 325.5 billion won, representing approximately 32.6% of the goal. While public institutions provided 171.47 billion won, private sector contributions totaled 153.28 billion won, with Samsung being the largest corporate contributor.

In response to this shortfall, President Lee Jae-myung announced plans to inject 700 billion won into the fund to reach the 1 trillion won target. The initiative seeks to compensate farmers for market liberalization sacrifices and address regional decline. To support the agricultural sector further, the government is considering expanding rural basic income programs, stabilizing rice prices, and re-examining potential entry into the CPTPP to ensure sufficient safeguards.

## Claims

- President Lee Jae-myung announced plans to reach a 1 trillion won target for the Agricultural and Fisheries Win-Win Cooperation Fund. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- The government plans to inject 200 billion won into next year's budget and an additional 500 billion won later to bolster the fund. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- The current accumulated amount in the fund stands at 325.5 billion won. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- South Korea's cumulative exports from January to September exceeded 800 billion dollars. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- President Lee urged the government to actively accept reasonable criticisms raised during parliamentary audits. (single source)
- President Lee called for increased vigilance and resources to combat sophisticated AI-driven hacking attacks. (single source)

## Timeline

### 2026-10-06: South Korean President pledges 700 billion won for rural support fund

President Lee Jae-myung announced a 700 billion won injection into the Agricultural Coexistence Fund and a re-examination of CPTPP accession to protect the rural sector and address regional inequality.

14 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/president-lee-jae-myung-pledges-1-trillion-won-for-agricultural-cooperation-fund

### 2026-09-14: South Korea's Rural Cooperation Fund reaches only one-third of 1 trillion won goal

South Korea's Rural Cooperation Fund has reached only 32.6% of its 1 trillion won target, prompting debates over extending the fund's term and using taxpayer money to cover the shortfall.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/south-koreas-rural-cooperation-fund-reaches-only-one-third-of-1-trillion-won-goal

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Cite as: South Korean rural support fund funding status. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/south-korean-rural-support-fund-funding-status