Yeongyang Red Pepper Festival in Seoul Plaza, Urging Road Construction

The Yeongyang Red Pepper Festival began in 2007 as the first event by a local government held in Seoul City Plaza. Now in its 19th year, it has established itself as a truly representative agricultural product festival in South Korea.

This festival provides a platform for Yeongyang County farmers to showcase and sell their directly cultivated red peppers to consumers, significantly contributing to promoting the excellence of local agricultural products and increasing farm household income.

Yeongyang County farmers face a difficult economic reality, with net income remaining below 10 million won annually. Yeongyang is an agriculture-based society, with red peppers, and historically tobacco, and currently fruit trees, being the main agricultural products.

As red peppers are the primary source of income for local farmers, there are high hopes that this festival will provide more opportunities for farmers to sell their products at fair prices to consumers.

While the background to Yeongyang red peppers becoming famous began in earnest in the 1980s, its origin was the native red pepper 'Subi-cho,' cultivated in Ogil-ri, Subi-myeon, in the 1960s.

Entering the 1980s, seed companies began developing various red pepper varieties, and as farmers actively cultivated them, Yeongyang red peppers gradually moved towards industrialization.

The Cheongyang red pepper, which we commonly eat, was named after being test-cultivated in the two regions of Cheongsong and Yeongyang. A seed company called Juwhangjong experimentally grew this variety in Cheongsong and Yeongyang, so it was named 'Cheongyang Red Pepper' by combining the first letters of the two regions.

Yeongyang County in Gyeongbuk Province is a transportation-disadvantaged area with no four-lane roads, expressways, or railways. As a result, it takes approximately 4 hours and 30 minutes to travel from Yeongyang to Seoul by car.

This causes serious difficulties for logistics and human exchange, acting as a major factor hindering regional development.

After a section of the North-South Axis 9 Expressway opened from Yeongcheon to Busan in 1969, the section from Yeongcheon in Gyeongbuk to Yanggu in Gangwon Province has not seen its first groundbreaking for 57 years. Despite being an important north-south axis directly connecting Gyeongbuk and Gangwon, most of the section remains undeveloped.

This road is expected to be more than just a transportation route; it will strengthen communication and connection between regions. Considering that 9 out of the 10 cities and counties it passes through are areas of population decline, it is anticipated to be a 'road of life' to overcome regional extinction.

Politicians often promise the construction of the North-South Axis 9 Expressway during elections but tend to lose interest after being elected. This is analyzed to be because the total resident population of the four cities and counties in Gyeongbuk and the six counties in Gangwon combined is only about 400,000. It is perceived by politicians as a region with few votes, thus falling down the priority list.

The construction cost for this 309.5 km section is estimated to be approximately 14.9 trillion won. Despite being a massive budget project, it is difficult to gain political momentum due to the small population.

Such political neglect further slows the development of transportation-disadvantaged areas and contributes to accelerating regional extinction.

Yeongyang County is a remote area, often called an 'island within the land,' belonging to a 'three-no' region with no railway, expressway, or national highway. Currently, it takes more than 4 hours to reach Seoul by car, a major factor exacerbating the region's isolation.

An official from Yeongyang County emphasized that if the North-South Axis 9 Expressway is newly constructed, it would be possible to reach Seoul in 2 hours and 30 minutes, enabling a one-day travel zone. They strongly urged that if the North-South Axis 9 Expressway is not included in the ongoing 3rd Expressway Construction Plan, they would have to wait another five years, thus it must be included in the current plan.

Expressway connection was emphasized as a critical element for Yeongyang's regional economy, especially as essential infrastructure for agricultural product distribution. The host explained that if an expressway is connected, Yeongyang County red peppers can be delivered quickly to consumers.

In conclusion, an expressway is an important means to maintain the freshness of Yeongyang red peppers, increase distribution efficiency, and directly contribute to increasing farm household income, which is summarized by the phrase, 'expressways and red peppers go hand in hand.'

Unlike dried red peppers, selling processed red pepper powder requires a manufacturing license. This is a regulation for food hygiene and safety, meaning production and distribution are only possible in licensed facilities.

Therefore, red pepper powder can only be sold by licensed producers or in licensed facilities, and consumers should confirm this when purchasing products.

The Yeongyang County Welfare Foundation for the Disabled employs disabled individuals to produce red pepper powder, and the product packaging features the phrase 'Ethical Consumption.' This emphasizes that purchasing this red pepper powder is a meaningful act that increases job opportunities and aids the independence of disabled individuals.

Currently, 30 disabled individuals are employed in facilities under the welfare foundation, participating in red pepper powder production. All proceeds from the sale of the red pepper powder they produce are used for their salaries, supporting their stable livelihoods.

Director Bang Dae-won encouraged 'ethical consumption' from many people, stating that increased sales directly lead to more job opportunities for disabled individuals in Yeongyang County. This system contributes to realizing social value beyond simple product purchase.

The red pepper powder produced by the Yeongyang County Welfare Foundation for the Disabled is processed using a traditional millstone method. This method results in a much richer color and finer texture for the red pepper powder compared to the blade method used in general mills.

The millstone method has the advantage of expressing the red pepper's color more vividly when used in various dishes like bean sprout dishes, but its production efficiency is somewhat lower than the general blade method.

The Yeongyang Red Pepper Festival in Seoul Plaza runs for three days starting today. Specifically, the official 'Red Pepper Hot Festival' event begins at 4:30 PM, followed by a '6시 내고향' (6 PM My Hometown) live broadcast at 6 PM, offering visitors a variety of attractions.

The Yeongyang Red Pepper Festival in Seoul Plaza offers a service where purchased dried red peppers can be immediately sent by courier. This is to alleviate the inconvenience for citizens who visit using public transportation, such as the subway, from having to carry bulky dried red peppers themselves.

The on-site delivery service enhances visitor convenience and promotes purchases, helping more citizens buy Yeongyang red peppers.

A farmer from Subi-myeon, Yeongyang County, who returned to farming 10 years ago and is now growing red peppers, stated that they play an important role in the village. This farmer expressed pride in their agricultural products and felt a sense of accomplishment in farming.

Consumers visiting the site primarily buy red peppers for making kimchi, and the farmer confidently stated that their cultivated red peppers are 'very clean,' showing confidence in their quality.

Red peppers cultivated in Subi-myeon, Yeongyang County, possess characteristics of a high-altitude cold region. Thanks to this geographical environment, the red peppers boast a sweet taste and excellent color, making them of superior quality.

Furthermore, Subi red peppers have the advantage of a high re-grinding rate when ground into powder, making them suitable for red pepper powder production. This is because the unique climate and soil conditions of the highlands are optimized for red pepper growth.

At the Yeongyang Red Pepper Festival site, dried red peppers are sold for 15,000 won per geun (600g). Additionally, if purchased in 3kg units, they are sold for 75,000 won, which is a discounted price compared to buying smaller quantities.

Consumers can choose various options depending on whether they prefer stems or not, and can purchase fresh, high-quality Yeongyang red peppers at reasonable prices.

Even if visiting the festival site is difficult, there are ways to purchase Yeongyang red peppers. Calling the Agricultural Department of the Yeongyang County Office provides a service that directly connects consumers with red pepper farmers.

Additionally, direct transactions with Yeongyang red pepper farmers or purchasing related products are possible through online searches like Naver, thus enhancing accessibility.