Food and drug safety ministry signs pact to boost herbal resource center

The food and drug safety ministry said it signed a work agreement with Yanggu County to strengthen the operational foundation of the National Institute of Herbal Resources.

The Korea Institute of Food and Drug Safety, an affiliate of the ministry, finalized the pact on Sept. 17 to address management difficulties caused by the center's remote location in Dongmyeon and a lack of dedicated management staff.

Under the deal, the parties will collaborate on recruiting local talent to stabilize operations. The agreement also covers sharing educational programs and information on utilizing domestic and international herbal materials. Specific joint projects include supporting research to commercialize local herbal products and developing age-specific education curricula.

The two agencies also plan to utilize existing regional facilities, such as the Yanggu Coastal Wildflower Park, to build a tighter cooperation system for these initiatives.

Kang Seok-yeon, head of the safety evaluation institute, said the partnership will secure a stable management base by leveraging local workforce capabilities.

"Combining the institute's research expertise with the county's regional assets would contribute to both the systematic preservation of herbal resources and the revitalization of the local economy," he added.

The ministry plans to expand such collaborations with other local governments to broaden infrastructure for cultivating and preserving Korea's native herbal resources.