South Korea: Food, Land and Democracy
This is a Food Sovereignty Tour brought to you by Food First/the Institute for Food and Development Policy in partnership with Global Exchange Reality Tours.
Explore Korean cuisine and the centuries-long struggle of South Korean farmers for land reform and democracy. You will visit contemporary and historical sites of struggle that have defined the modern history of Korea. From a feudal society, to a Japanese colony, Korea was liberated only to be ravaged by one of the most brutal wars in which more than 3 million Koreans were killed and the peninsula was divided. In recent times South Korean farmers have become famous for their persistent struggle against global trade liberalization. Today, South Korean peasants are at the forefront of the food sovereignty movement promoting local food, native seed preservation, Korean reunification, democracy, and women’s rights.
On this tour, you will visit cooperatives and speak to peasants, farmers and activists who are working to promote a democratic local food system that respects the history, tradition, and culture of the Korean people as an alternative to the hyper-modernization that Korea is known for in mainstream media. You will experience a Korea not often seen by outsiders and enjoy some of the most beautiful and serene areas of the “land of the morning calm” and meet the people of this beautiful country. This tour is organized in collaboration with the Korean Peasants’ League and the Korean Women’s Peasant Association.
For more information and to receive a sample itinerary contact Tanya Kerssen
- Visit local food markets in Seoul take a culinary tour of traditional Korean foods
- Meet with leaders of the Korean Peasant’s League, Korean Women’s Peasant Association, and law makers supporting Food Sovereignty in Korea
- Visit the site of the Donghak Peasant Revolution of 1894
- Visit Gwangju, site of the Gwangju Massacre in 1980
- Visit Jeju Island, a volcanic island south of the mainland with unique environment, people, and food and earn about the struggles of Jeju farmers against foreign invasions and preservation of peace
- Learn about the potential impacts of the U.S. Free Trade Agreement with South Korea on small farmers
- Explore the motivations behind South Korea’s land grabs in Africa
- Take a Korean Cooking class
- Visit a women’s native seeds cooperative in Jeju
- Meet the inspiring women of a CSA cooperative in Sangju
- Visit local food markets in Seoul take a culinary tour of traditional Korean foods
- Eat a vegetarian meal at a beautiful Buddhist temple
- All in-country transportation during the tour, including domestic RT flight to Jeju Island
- Three-star hotel accommodations
- 2-3 meals daily plus all scheduled tastings and cooking classes
- Food First policy analyst on the entire tour, local guides, guest speakers and translators
- Preparatory reading materials
- All scheduled program activities, including admission to museums and historical sites
- Food First membership and Global Exchange membership
- NOT INCLUDED: International airfare, most beverages, tips and personal expenses
Please register Online with Food Sovereignty Tours
For more information about this tour, please contact Tanya tkerssen@foodfirst.org or by phone at (510) 654-4400, ext. 223