The Korea Forest Service (KFS) selected Kang Gu-young, head of Yakchogol Farm in Hamyang-gun, South Gyeongsang Province, as the April "Forestry Person of the Month" for his production of gomchwi (Korean butterbur) and san-maneul (mountain garlic), the agency said Monday.
Kang returned to his hometown of Hamyang in 2004 after years of office work, driven by the belief that "mountains are lands of opportunity holding infinite value." He entered forestry not simply to grow trees but to produce healthy food by fully utilizing forest ecosystems.
To this end, he established his base at an elevation of 700 meters on the mid-slope of Sambongsan Mountain, connected to the Jirisan Mountain range. He built an 18-hectare forest products complex and cultivated an optimized growing environment centered on gomchwi and other wild mountain vegetables.
Kang also pioneered integrated forest management linking forestry with livestock farming. He released chickens into the forest to control pests and recycled livestock manure as fertilizer for wild vegetable cultivation, creating a circular management system.
These efforts now yield 2.5 tons of gomchwi and one ton of mountain garlic annually in organic wild vegetables. Combined with his livestock operations, the farm generates annual income of 400 million won ($290,000).
Kang also runs on-site wild vegetable experience and education programs to promote the importance of forest management. His Yakchogol Farm draws a steady stream of visitors among those interested in returning to rural mountain areas, and he shares his cultivation expertise to help newcomers settle in the region.
"Integrated forest management that creates high added value while maintaining the ecological health of forests is the direction our forestry industry should pursue," said Lee Sang-ik, director general of the Forest Industry Policy Bureau at KFS. "We will strengthen support so that forestry workers in the field can earn higher incomes through integrated forest management."