Success Factors of the Local Food Movement and Their Implications: The Case of Wanju-gun, Republic of Korea

摘要

In Korea, a policy of encouraging the production and distribution of local food has been implemented in order to resolve the problems rural societies are facing. The policy has focused not only on ensuring profits for farmers, but also on recovering the communal character of rural areas and restoring their living foundations. Wanju-gun (similar in size to a US county) in Jeollabuk-do Province is today regarded as one of the most successful examples in terms of policy implementation and achievement. Wanju has been supporting local food as a core business, and is launching various activities such as reforming local farming toward a small quantity batch production system, revitalizing farmers' education, and opening up direct local food markets. Against this background, this study aims to identify the success factors of the local food movement in Wanju-gun, and to discuss measures for spreading this movement further. Data on the area of Wanju, homepage websites and news reports were employed to analyze the success factors of Wanju's local food movement.