Welcome to BASE21

By Hong Hyun-bin, Editor
malalika@hanmail.net

A grandmother is carrying a watermelon with heavy steps. She puts the watermelon down on the ground to take a rest for some time. At that moment, a grandfather comes running to the grandmother and kicks the watermelon as he were a soccer player. This is a commercial film for a certain company which people can see on television everyday. It is very shocking to the farmers, even if how the excitement of soccer hasn't waned after the `World Cup'. How much pain of farmers were eased by fourth in the `World Cup'? When most people had a deep attachment to being NO.1, farmers struggled to survive with a broken hearts. The farmers have always been under pressure and suppressed during the Chosun dynasty, Japanese imperialism and under the WTO system, which was founded in the 1980's. But there is no improvement from before. The farmers still struggle to survive and live a decent life.
President Kim promised that he will be president for common people and will revive the crumbling agricultural village certainly with emphasis. But President Kim already got liar and broke faith with 4.5 million farmers. The present government(govt) proclaimed a switch in program for the increased production of rice to a `quality first' rice production policy. Whether govt knows or doesn't know about their livelihood falling into ruins, President Kim virtually abandoned thinking about revival of agriculture just saying something or other about the `international tendency'. The Kim Dae-jung Administration is leaving a behind a collapse in the rice market, making imports of rice a settled matter as rice renegotiation is going to heat up in 2004. And the present govt intends to diminish rice reductions on the plea of the Uruguay Round of negotiations in Kim Young-sam Administration. Also, the govt is making an effort to switch Saemangeum and Seosan reclaimed land which are turning farmland into industrial land. As you can see, the Kim Administration is promoting new agriculture policies after amending them entirely. In opposition the govt's policies, farmers have a sense of impending crisis in the face of these miserable realities and are struggling against the present govt.
The farmers regard these problems as structural issues that have been forwarded under an `open farm policy' and a `renunciation policy in agriculture'. The secret negotiations concerning garlic with China, created quite a stir some time ago, representing such problems in life. The fact that the govt decided not to extend `Safeguards' which had been applied to Chinese garlic in the negotiations with China for the year 2003 came to light. That is to say, the govt intend to liberalize imports entirely toward Chinese garlic from the year 2003. The govt has repressed the fact for 2 years and farmers will meet with tremendous confusion and shock till the year 2003 unknowingly unless the fact came to light at this time, so it is natural to betray farmers' trust. Of course, managing the trouble concerning garlic isn't easy. The govt raised the tariff rate to invoke `Safeguards' against Chinese garlic. China repelled instantly against this and interrupted imports for the time being in cellular phones and polyethylene products. Under this situation, the govt. sacrificed the farmers. The govt's decision concerns the problem of profits to companies, but the problem relates to the farmers' livelihood.
The problem of agriculture policy is not confined only to rice and garlic. The govt. just took a look at the slump in red pepper prices and decided to the reduce government purchasing quantity of what is barely a substitute crop. Also, farmers are groaning because of debt and news about the high suicide rate among farmers reaches one's ears far and near, but the govt. authorities still cling to allowance and bonuses. The govt. takes the lead in agriculture policies on the whole like negotiations on garlic, but far from laying down advanced countermeasures, the govt. is shifting the responsibility onto farmers.
Other advanced countries try to protect basic agricultural products of their own country in spite of breaking the rules of the WTO. The present govt. is making fun of farmers to secure business interests. President Kim is taking trouble to disregard the voice for the future of Korea. It is merely saying it to protect the agricultural industry. Everyone should collect one's mind and examine oneself. If the govt. looks the other way continuously, who will bear the responsibility for the agony of the Korean nation.

The Konkuk Bulletin met the chief of policy-investigation department in Junnong, Lee Su-hyun to hear about situation of farmers and thinking toward agricultural policy.

1. ①What do farmers think about that in one advertisement, man play soccer with watermelon?② Not only this, but in some old liner newspapers said about Korean agriculture just like that, they give up our agriculture. What do you think about it?
-There are many denying opinions on line board. I think that the C.F was made without any consideration. If they consider farmer who try to make one watermelon, they do not make the C.F like that. There are lack of mind to care about something to eat. If that is not a watermelon but rice, can you imagine to make the C.F that people kick and trample the rice? There is nothing different between rice and watermelon.
-Government and some press want to make judge simply predominance theory.

2. President Kim Dae jung said that he make investment, using fifty trillion won to improve the farmers' environment. But there are many voice that he is a betrayer. What do you think about it?
-It is wrong way to solve the problem. It is not important that how much money was invested. President Kim support market farming on a large scale but, he neglect petty farmer. As a result, petty farmer was not supported by government, they have more increasing heaps of debts. Moreover, in the agriculture, government have introduced new form which not suitable in our country, for only globalization. But they have no obtain satisfactory result.

3. What is the problem that this neo-liberalism agricultural policy was promted by this government?
-Our country act as a puppet of the WTO(World Trade Organization). Many advanced country invent to prevent national agriculture, breaking the rule of WTO. But our government seems to kill our farmers. Present government think that the nation can always buy cheap agricultural products from other country in this time that nobody know when the difficulty of obtaining food is happened. Now you should wake up! Perhaps it is a last chance to revive agriculture. If nobody consider revival of agriculture, who can take the responsibility of big problem, which is stemmed from agriculture?

4. How was the farmer's condition now?
-They are laboring under the debts without production cost adding to injured there are much flood damage in this year. The farmer were threatened reduction policy of rice and garlic. When rice farming change to vegetable, it is also threatened by FTA(Free Trade Agreement). That is negotiation of wheat with Chile for example. It is also program of WTO so if it is concluded, fruit farmhouse will be broken. Culture, education and medical clinic in the farmhouse are poor, too.

6.What is the goal and meaning of famer's large scale struggle on November 13th?
-The farmers are risking their lives at a big fight on November 13th. We can summarize goals for three. First, the fight that proclaims all-out war to prevent opening the rice market toward the next administration. Second, We hope that the group of farmers get stronger with planting the thought that almost farmers need to feel the seriousness of the agricultural policy and they need to be the main body. Lastly, We hope it will be an occasion announcing the hardness of farmers and the reality of farm village.