Lee vows to reflect farmers' voices on land reform, agricultural co-op overhaul and CPTPP

President Lee Jae Myung pledged Wednesday to incorporate farmers' voices into policy on key issues including farmland reform, agricultural cooperative reform and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, saying the government would pursue measures that genuinely benefit the farming community.

Lee made the remarks in a post on X, formerly Twitter, on the occasion of Farmers' Day. Titled "The strength of Korean rice that built today's Republic of Korea — we owe it to our farmers," the post expressed "deep gratitude and respect" to farmers across the country who have "quietly tended the land and safeguarded the nation's food supply despite difficult conditions."

The message is seen as an effort to ease discontent among farmers, particularly in Seongnam, amid tensions over a nationwide farmland survey and concerns about CPTPP membership.

"A country that neglects agriculture cannot prosper," Lee said. "Agriculture is now the foundation of food security and a national strategic industry," he added, calling rural communities "the roots of the Republic of Korea and the home of the national community we must protect."

Lee said his administration is strengthening the state's responsibility toward agriculture. The government has passed agricultural livelihood bills that were vetoed under the previous administration and is working to normalize rice prices.

"Farmers are facing serious hardship due to recent price declines in key crops such as vegetables and fruit," Lee said. "We will do our utmost to stabilize agricultural prices and farm household incomes by combining supply-and-demand adjustments with measures to boost consumption."

In addition, Lee said the government would "responsibly support farmers in earning fair income commensurate with their labor and in having the value of agriculture properly recognized." He added that he would build "a country where agriculture is truly respected, where farmers feel proud, where they can farm without worry and where citizens can consume with confidence."