Problems in Localization of Extension Educators in Korea

농촌지도직 공무원 지방직 전환의 문제

Since 1997, Korean government changed the status of extension educators from central government staff to county/city government staff for the sake of democratization and localization, regardless of opposition of academic society of extension professionals. Localization of extension educators followed by government restructuring in Korea, resulted various problems, such as 1) Decreased morale and number of extension educators, thus weakening the extension educational function, 2) Weakened linkages between national and local extension offices, 3) Less opportunity for in-service edition of extension educators, 4) Weakened linkages between agricultural research and extension, etc. During the last 30 years, extension services have helped Korean farmers in achieving self sufficiency of rice and year around supply of green vegetables by diffusion of vinyl house technology. Various problems after three years of localization of extension educators were discussed between announcer of radio KBS and a professor of extension in an interview format, and it was concluded that national efforts should be needed to restore morale of extension educators to continually achieve the national goals of food production, balanced national development and preservation of environment, at the same time to meet increasing needs of farmers.