Kang Ho-dong, chairman of South Korea’s National Agricultural Cooperative Federation, has been reelected president of the International Cooperative Agricultural Organization, the federation said Tuesday.
Kang secured a new four-year term at the ICAO General Assembly held in Panama City, Panama, on Tuesday. His reelection also returns him to the board of the International Cooperative Alliance, the global body representing cooperatives across industries.
The ICAO, established in 1951 as the ICA’s agricultural organization, has 45 member institutions in 35 countries. The National Agricultural Cooperative Federation, widely known as NongHyup, has chaired the organization since 1998.
Kang has served as ICAO president since July 2024. He has also been a director of the ICA and its Asia-Pacific regional organization, representing the interests of agricultural cooperatives and farmers in international discussions.
During his previous term, Kang hosted the ICAO General Assembly in Seoul as part of events marking the United Nations’ International Year of Cooperatives in 2025.
The meeting adopted the ICAO Seoul Declaration, which outlined a common agenda for agricultural cooperatives. Its priorities included strengthening food security, responding to climate change, supporting young and female farmers, promoting the value of agriculture and protecting farmers’ rights.
The declaration also called for wider adoption of advanced agricultural technologies and stronger cooperation among agricultural cooperatives to help build a more sustainable global food system.
Under Kang’s leadership, the organization has promoted NongHyup’s “Nongsim Cheonsim” initiative, a Korean phrase conveying the idea that farmers’ aspirations should be treated with the highest respect. NongHyup has also shared its cooperative development experience with member organizations through training programs for visiting delegations and global leadership development projects.
Kang received broad support from ICAO members for another term, according to NongHyup.
“Solidarity among cooperatives is more urgent than ever as global agriculture confronts crises including climate change and food insecurity,” Kang said.
“Guided by the spirit of the Seoul Declaration, we will work with agricultural cooperatives around the world to overcome these challenges and build a sustainable future for agriculture and rural communities in which farmers are respected,” he added.
shinyb@heraldcorp.com
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