Korea, Netherlands Expand Agricultural Cooperation

Ministers in Seoul Discuss Smart Farming, AI, and Energy Transition

Minister Song Mi-ryeong of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (right) poses for a commemorative photo with Minister Silvio Erkens of the Netherlands Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food security and Nature after signing the Memorandum of Understanding. (Provided by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs)

Song Mi-ryeong, Minister of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, met with Silvio Erkens, Minister of the Netherlands Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food security and Nature, in Seoul on the morning of May 21 to discuss the current status and direction of agricultural innovation in both countries, and signed a revised Memorandum of Understanding on agricultural cooperation.

The Netherlands is a world-leading agricultural export powerhouse equipped with advanced agricultural technologies, and the two countries have maintained various forms of cooperation over the years, including policy sharing and personnel exchanges. In particular, the meeting holds great significance as it was arranged for the two ministers to seek practical avenues of cooperation at a time when both countries are accelerating innovation in the agricultural sector.

The two ministers shared policy updates across areas including smart agriculture and AI transformation as well as energy transition, and exchanged views on future cooperation. They then signed a Memorandum of Understanding pledging to strengthen bilateral cooperation in areas such as food security and sustainable agriculture, based on a shared understanding of the changing conditions facing agriculture in both nations.

Minister Song emphasized, “Korea has actively introduced the Netherlands’ advanced agricultural technologies and experiences, and applied them to suit our conditions to develop industries related to smart agriculture. I hope that today’s meeting will serve as an opportunity to further expand agricultural cooperation between the two countries.”

Jung Suk-yee