June 27, 2006

 

Corn scientists aims to open up North Korean corn markets
 

 

Kim Soon-Kwon, president of the International Corn Foundation (ICF), hopes that hybrid corn would be the "seed of reunification" between the two Koreas.

 

Kim, who visited North Korea in the mid 1990s, believes the technological breakthrough and the cooperation fostered through the planting of hybrid corn would bring the two nations together.

 

The crop scientist, who focused much of his research on hybrid corn, was awarded along the title of honorary village chief in Nigeria for his work in disease-resistant corn.

 

In 1998, the North Korean authorities had agreed to a decade-long project aimed at developing super-maize with Kim, who also serves as director-general of the International Agricultural Research Institute at Kyungpook National University.

 

Out of some 35,000 corn varieties, 27 were selected for a final seed productivity test in 2003.

 

Since then, roughly half of the 3,000 collective farms in North Korea have benefited from direct ICF's aid in the form of corn seeds, fertiliser, chemicals and agricultural machinery.

 

However, political disputes came into the picture and Kim was denied entry into North Korea in 1999.

 

Kim was forced to carry on his corn research in Southeast Asian nations such as Vietnam and Cambodia, resulting in a corn productivity boost in Vietnam within 3 years that took North Korea 9 years.

 

Kim resumed his work in North Korea last May to discuss testing the corn seeds and spring sowings by region. The final seed productivity test, originally scheduled for 2003, would be conducted this year, he said.

 

North Korea is ideal for growing corn as it has great difference between day and nighttime temperatures and well-drained soil, Kim said.

 

North Korea's overall grain production have tripled from a mere 1.5 million tonnes in 1998 to 4.5-5 million tonnes currently. 

 

While South Korea's sponsorship of fertiliser helped, North Korea's scientific approach to agriculture, better weather conditions and the absence of natural disasters such as drought also fuelled the increase, he said.

 

Kim believes that the best way to minimize so-called "unification cost,'' is cooperation in the field of science and technology.

 

Kim said that when the test on hybrid corn seeds is successful, it can clear the way for the North to explore the Chinese and South Korean markets.

 

China is expressing a huge interest in ICF's corn seed tests, Kim noted, adding that it is food that would restore the trust between the two Koreas.