Uiseong-gun wins top prize at North Gyeongsang agricultural policy awards for record 6th time

Uiseong-gun took the top prize at North Gyeongsang Province's 2026 municipal agricultural policy evaluation, with Sangju and Cheongdo-gun earning excellence awards and Andong, Yeongcheon, Yecheon-gun and Bonghwa-gun receiving merit awards, the provincial government announced Tuesday.

It was the sixth time Uiseong-gun has claimed the grand prize since the evaluation began in 2014, setting an all-time record for the most wins.

The province said it conducted the evaluation to strengthen on-the-ground implementation of key agricultural policy priorities under the ninth elected provincial administration and to share best practices across municipalities.

The assessment covered 29 indicators across eight categories, including accelerating the agricultural transformation, agrifood distribution and innovation, smart farming expansion, and livestock and animal disease prevention policy. Evaluators focused on practical outcomes — such as efforts to expand agricultural and rural budgets and the development of locally tailored initiatives — as well as each municipality's overall policy execution capacity.

Uiseong-gun expanded advanced agricultural infrastructure centered on its open-field smart farming development zone and successfully embedded an innovative agricultural transformation model at the local level. The county also received multiple commendations from central government agencies in areas including return-to-farming programs and eco-friendly agriculture.

Sangju became the first municipality in the country selected for a national government-funded project to expand cooperative farming, and also worked to improve agricultural distribution structures. Cheongdo-gun broadened its cooperative farming base and expanded eco-friendly agriculture through a partnership model linking agrifood companies with cooperative farming corporations.

Andong promoted smart farming and developed the horticultural and specialty crop industry. Yeongcheon focused on optimal rice production and built a livestock disease prevention system.

Yecheon-gun worked to revitalize return-to-farming and rural migration programs and pursued rural industry convergence. Bonghwa-gun expanded its agricultural budget and established and promoted an income model based on cooperative farming.

The winning municipalities will receive governor's commendations and prize money at the 31st Farmers' Day ceremony Wednesday. Prize money is 8 million won ($5,900) for the grand prize winner, 5 million won for excellence award winners and 3 million won for merit award winners.

"We will spread the best practices identified in this evaluation across the entire province to raise farm incomes, inject vitality into rural communities and complete a truly decentralized era of agricultural policy," said Park Chan-guk, director general of North Gyeongsang Province's agricultural, livestock and distribution bureau.