North Gyeongsang council's agriculture panel wraps audit, scrutinizes farming and fisheries issues

The North Gyeongsang Provincial Assembly's Agriculture and Fisheries Committee conducted its 2026 administrative audit over two days — Thursday and Friday — examining the Agriculture and Food Distribution Education Promotion Agency, the Dokdo Foundation, the Agricultural Technology Institute, the Agriculture and Livestock Distribution Bureau, and the Marine and Fisheries Bureau.

The audit focused on farmer education, retail support projects, Dokdo promotion policy, delays in public facility construction, agricultural budget expansion, and measures to stabilize the livelihoods of fishing communities, with lawmakers calling for concrete improvement plans.

During the audit of the Agriculture and Food Distribution Education Promotion Agency and the Dokdo Foundation, poor sales performance in online marketing support projects, the need to improve educational outcomes at the Farmer Military Academy, and delays in constructing a new agency building all drew fire.

The audit of the Agricultural Technology Institute centered on the prolonged delay in its relocation project and the resulting increase in project costs.

Regional issues were also addressed, including improving access routes to the institute as it prepares to relocate to Sangju, converting the former flower complex in Gumi into smart farms, and strengthening the competitiveness of the ginseng industry in Punggi, Yeongju.

The audit of the Agriculture and Livestock Distribution Bureau highlighted agricultural budget expansion, equity concerns over a basic income scheme for rural communities, improvements to rice purchase prices, and the supply and demand of foreign seasonal workers as key issues.

Lawmakers also criticized delays in the construction of the Agricultural Resources Management Agency, which is set to relocate to Uiseong, and the Livestock Genetic Resources Distribution Center. Members pointed out rising project costs and the failure to reflect them in the budget, calling for stronger coordination among relevant departments and prompt progress on both projects.

The audit of the Marine and Fisheries Bureau focused on ways to ease financial hardship facing East Sea fishers, including declining catches, damage from high water temperatures, and cuts to fuel cost support for fishing operations.

Agriculture and Fisheries Committee Chairman Lee Cheol-sik urged relevant agencies to take active follow-up measures to ensure that issues raised during the audit translate into genuine system improvements and increased income for farmers and fishers.

Lee added that securing budgets and rigorous project management are needed to prevent further delays in key projects such as the Agricultural Resources Management Agency relocation and the Livestock Genetic Resources Distribution Center construction. "I will work to ensure that the voices from farming and fishing communities are reflected in future policy development and budget planning," he said.