'20-minute walk when nature calls'... 80 restrooms coming to farmland nationwide

Eighty mobile restrooms will be installed across farmland nationwide to save farmers a trip to a village hall or home when they need a bathroom while working in the fields. The move is expected to particularly improve working conditions for female farmers, who have long faced greater difficulty finding restrooms nearby.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said Thursday that it will install 80 mobile "field restrooms" across 23 cities and counties nationwide.

In many rural areas, the absence of restrooms near farmland means farmers working long hours must travel back to their homes or a village hall. Female farmers, in particular, have repeatedly called for the restroom shortage to be addressed.

Farmers have described the problem firsthand, with one saying, "When I am working in the field and suddenly need a restroom, walking to the village hall is too far, and even driving takes about 20 minutes — it is a real inconvenience during the busy farming season." Some elderly farmers reportedly drink less water or hold off using the restroom altogether to avoid the trouble.

This is the first year the ministry has supported the nationwide installation of field restrooms. The project draws on 250 million won ($186,000) from an urban-rural cooperation fund backed by NH Investment.

Farmland regulations have also been eased. Starting Aug. 28, restrooms can be installed on farmland without a separate land-use conversion procedure, requiring only a report on constructing a temporary structure, under revised rules.

The ministry surveyed demand through local governments starting in June. It selected the 80 sites across the 23 cities and counties by evaluating several factors. These included whether farms were registered as agricultural business entities and the distance between the planned restroom site and farmers' homes. Other factors were the number of female farmers who would share the facility and the suitability of each location.

Selected farms will receive mobile restrooms equipped with automatic-flush toilets and water-saving sinks. Installation is scheduled to be completed by October.

The restrooms will not be limited to use by the selected farms alone — nearby farmers will also be able to use them. Signage can be switched between male and female designations, and designated managers will carry out regular disinfection, cleaning and waste collection.

"Field restrooms are more than a simple convenience facility — they are a basic part of the farming environment needed to guarantee farmers' human rights and right to health," said Yoon Won-seup, director general for agricultural policy at the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. "We will continue working to improve the farming environment and rural living conditions that female farmers experience firsthand in the field."