Farming Population Drops by 30 percent

The number of Koreans working in the agricultural and fisheries sectors has declined by one-third over the past 25 years as people in rural areas moved to cities for higher income and a better life.

The average age of farmers and fishermen is now higher amid low birthrates and rapid population aging, making farming and fishing less labor productive and profitable.

According to the National Statistical Office (NSO) Wednesday, the number of farmers and fishermen stood at 3.4 million in 2005, accounting for 7.3 percent of the total population. It marks a sharp decrease from 10.8 million in 1980 when almost one out of three Koreans were engaged in the sector.

The statistical office projected that the number will further decline to 2.6 million in 2015 and 2.3 million in 2020. With the declining farming population, the number of households has dropped to 1.27 million in 2005, down from an all-time high of 2.48 million in 1970.