Goryeong-gun, NH Agri Business Holdings sign MOU to relocate livestock auction market

Goryeong-gun in North Gyeongsang Province and the livestock division of NH Agri Business Holdings, led by CEO Ahn Byung-woo, signed a memorandum of understanding Friday at the Goryeong-gun office to relocate and rebuild the Goryeong Livestock Auction Market.

About 50 people attended the signing ceremony, including the NH Agri Business Holdings livestock division CEO, National Assembly members, Goryeong-gun and provincial assembly members, the head of the NH cooperative's North Gyeongsang regional headquarters, local agricultural and livestock cooperative chiefs, auction market officials, the chairman of the Korea Pork Producers Association and heads of regional livestock organizations.

The Goryeong Livestock Auction Market has served as a central hub for livestock distribution across the Daegu, North Gyeongsang and broader Yeongnam region for the past 33 years.

Its location has been a key advantage — Goryeong sits near rich livestock production bases in Goryeong, Seongju and Hapcheon, the large consumer market of Daegu, and a wide-ranging transport network, positioning the market as a major distribution node linking production, retail and consumption.

Aging facilities and evolving standards in livestock hygiene, safety management, environmental regulations and disease prevention have made building a new facility necessary.

The MOU marks a commitment by Goryeong-gun and NH Agri Business Holdings to jointly chart a development direction for the auction market and establish a cooperation framework for its relocation and reconstruction, drawing on Goryeong's locational strengths and regional conditions.

As a World Heritage city rooted in the history and cultural legacy of the Daegaya kingdom, Goryeong has strong tourism appeal. The modernized auction market is expected to generate a range of spillover benefits, including the development of a food village, the attraction of related industries and the revitalization of the local commercial district.

"Building on this agreement, we will work closely with NH Agri Business Holdings and relevant agencies to develop a relocation and reconstruction plan suited to local conditions, and will continue to cooperate so that the livestock and tourism industries can grow together with the regional economy," Goryeong-gun chief Lee Nam-cheol said.