During the September Chusok Holiday, Dr. Soon-kwon Kim, also known as Dr. Corn, and the Chairman of the International Corn Foundation visited Mongolia. They and confirmed the success of breeding for early and safe high-yielding new corn varieties. For thirteen years, the project, to breed corn varieties that are adaptable to the cold and drought environment in Mongolia have been proceeding with the Branch Manager of Mongolia, Professor Jaehyung Go of Huree University.

By collecting the landrace varieties in Kaema Plateau in North Korea, the State of Montana, and Mongolia, the team successfully developed a germplasm called Mongolian Corn Population. From 2004, the corn breeding project has been promoted at the Northern Experimental Field at Darkhan, Mongolia National University.

Professor Soon-kwon Kim mutually agreed to conduct joint research projects by showing the corn produced in Siberia to the related staff of Buryat State Agricultural Academy, Buryat Republic, and Russia. (2016.9.17)

During the first trial, the team tested 300 Korean corn varieties. Only three percent of the corn was harvested. After that, a new corn germplasm was developed by crossing collected landrace from the US, North Korea, and Mongolia. Additional corn from the cold and dry regions of China, Canada, and Russia, were used by the team to successfully cross-breed a new corn variety adaptable to Mongolia. The tests were conducted in the following areas: in Mongolia during the summer season; at a greenhouse located in Gyeongbuk Province, South Korea during winter season;, in the mountainous area of Hainan Sheng, China; and in an experimental field in the International Corn Foundation, Cambodia.

Professor Soon-kwon Kim (left side) in a commemorative photo in front of the gate of Russia Buryat State Agricultural Academy (2016.9.17)

Mongolia is known for its livestock production. However, due to the migratory livestock, farming, pasturing, and nomadic life, the quality of meat was tough preventing meat exports. This factor led to low quality and productivity of meat. In addition, during the cold winter, hundreds of livestock froze to death each year.

In Mongolia, corn is planted in mid May. The harvest is gathered before the frost comes in mid September. Most imported corn and Suwon No. 19, the variety bred by Dr. Kim and disseminated by the Rural Development Administration, usually die before fruiting, but after flowering. The breeding of Mongolian corn was supported with funds from the citizens, support by the Korea Research Foundation for two years, and the association of POSCO for a year.

Corn raised on a farm in Buryat Republic

With the success of the corn variety in Mongolia, Dr. Kim successfully developed a corn variety that matures before forest comes at Ulan-ude, the capital of Buryat Republic located in East Siberia, Russia. With this result, he visited Buryat State Academy of Agriculture, BSAA and discussed cooperative research projects. In Buryat Republic, the major agricultural sector was the livestock industry. C orn feed was the most essential part of raising the livestock. The country once tried to produce silage unsuccessfully.

Corn is the most efficient feed source and is an economical crop. In Korea, 10 million tons of corn is imported contributing to the high cost of meat. Dr. Soon-kwon Kim’s challenge has achieved success in corn breeding in the Southeast Asia region, Cambodia, thanks to the support of POSCO for the project to develop a corn variety to deal with the global food crisis and climate change.    

Professor Soon-kwon Kim (fourth from the left) took a commemorative photo with the large corn, MCP, produced by the OPV Method, with related staff at Darkhan Northern Experimental Field of the Agricultural Research Institute. 

The core research project as of today is to develop a super feed source adaptable to Northeast China. Also, the project will develop bio-corn, and functional corn that has cancer, foot and mouth disease and avian flu resistance. Professor Kim recently established the “Unification Corn Center” in Pohang. He is preparing a project to deal with unification through corn, a staple food of North Korea since 1998. The project asks continued support and interest from the government and citizens. 

According to Professor Kim, “After developing the honey corn variety that could eat fresh, the well-being honey corn produced by farmers in Pohang is now sold year-round. The people who buy this corn naturally help the people who are in financial difficulties in the world including North Korea through the International Corn Foundation.”

※ Terminology

Breeding [育種]: Breeding is the reproduction of offspring, usually animals or plants that are valuable to the life of mankind.

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