요약 본문
Kim Jung-wook, Director of Agricultural Innovation Policy at the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the ‘Korean Agricultural Machinery Complex’ in Cabanatuan City, Philippines on December 10, 2025. He celebrated the start of the complex’s construction and discussed cooperation measures in the agricultural machinery sector. The event was attended by Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., the Minister of Agriculture, the Chairman of the Senate and House, and from Korea, Director Kim Jung-wook, Ambassador to the Philippines Sang-hwa Lee, Chairman of the Korea Agricultural Machinery Industry Cooperative Shin-gil Kim, and representatives from nine agricultural machinery companies.
The ‘Korean Agricultural Machinery Complex’ project was initiated by cooperation between the Philippine government and the Korea Agricultural Machinery Industry Cooperative, based on their mutual interest in agricultural mechanization and expanding exports to Southeast Asia. The project began when the Philippine Agricultural Machinery Research Institute requested cooperation in developing locally adapted agricultural machinery. The Philippine government has promised benefits such as land leasing, infrastructure provision, and customs and local tax exemptions. The complex will be constructed in three phases from 2026 to 2034 on a total area of 60,000 pyeong.
This project is expected to contribute to the expansion of exports of Korean agricultural machinery to Southeast Asia and play a significant role in the mechanization and improvement of productivity and quality of agriculture in the Philippines. Although the export share to Southeast Asia is relatively low, the export volume is increasing, highlighting the potential of this market. Particularly, the Philippines has the highest export share among Southeast Asian countries, making it a favorable country for Korean companies to enter and settle.
Director Kim expressed optimism at the groundbreaking ceremony, anticipating significant contributions to the development of agriculture and the agricultural machinery industry in both countries. He also stated that the Korean government would strive to ensure the smooth progress of the project through cooperation with the Philippine government and support for the companies entering the market.