2026 Handon Day Launches “Handon Partnership”…Promotes Consumption of 1,321 Tons of Handon by Year-End

On Oct. 1 at the Grand Salon of Grand Hyatt Seoul in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Singer Nam Gyu-ri, formerly of the group SeeYa, took the opening stage and, after singing the “Pork Belly Song,” shared a story from her days as an unknown singer. Nam said, “Around age 20, when I was moving between rooftop rooms and exam-study dormitories and wondering whether to give up singing, I received an audition offer on a day I ate pork belly and debuted just two weeks later,” adding, “Even now, my refrigerator is full of Handon pork belly,” drawing applause from the audience.

The Handon Checkoff Fund Management Committee and the Korea Handon Association held the “2026 Handon Day Ceremony” that day. Handon Day, named after the number “1001” because it resembles a pig’s snout, began in 2014 and marked its 13th edition this year.

Lee Ki-hong, chairman of the Handon Checkoff Fund Management Committee and president of the Korea Handon Association, said in his commemorative address, “Before a single piece of Handon reaches the table, there are farms that care for pigs without taking a single day off, distribution sites that deliver fresh Handon, and restaurant sites that meet consumers,” explaining the meaning of the event by saying, “Today is an occasion to encourage those efforts and for partners linking production, distribution, and consumption to prepare a better tomorrow for Handon.”

 

ASF and Feed Costs Burden Farms…Government and National Assembly Pledge Support

Although the event began with laughter, congratulatory remarks continued with comments pointing out the difficulties facing the Handon industry. People Power Party lawmaker Kim Yong-tae said, “This year, Handon farms must have had a harder time than ever due to African swine fever(ASF), rising feed prices, and competition with imported pork,” adding, “I will take responsibility to the end for strengthening Handon’s competitiveness, including stabilizing the supply and demand of feed ingredients and supporting feed costs.”

The government also promised support. Kim Jong-gu, vice minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, assessed that Handon has become a pillar of food security, while citing rising feed prices, manure treatment, and odor issues as tasks the industry must resolve. Vice Minister Kim said, “We will listen closely to voices from the field, strengthen the production base, and upgrade the disease-prevention system,” adding, “The government will be a reliable partner for the field.”

Legislation was mentioned as a solution to the manure issue. Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Kwak Sang-eon said he is preparing the “Livestock Manure Resource Recovery Promotion Act” with Chairman Lee Ki-hong and would lend support to the bill’s passage.

Farms also pledged to change on their own. Lee noted that consumption patterns and food culture are changing rapidly, and that demands for sustainable livestock farming that considers the environment and local communities are also increasing. He continued, “We will stably supply safe, high-quality Handon and steadily work to improve disease prevention and the breeding environment,” emphasizing, “Responding responsibly to these changes is the way to protect public trust and open the future of Handon.” 

Ruling and Opposition Lawmakers Stand Side by Side as “Honorary Handon Ambassadors”

Lawmakers from both the ruling and opposition parties attended the event together. Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Moon Geum-ju was newly appointed as an honorary Handon ambassador. Moon said, “I think they entrusted me with this because they know I usually like pork belly with soju,” adding, “In keeping with the title, I will promote Handon, and support it at the National Assembly level so that farms can earn stable income.”

People Power Party lawmaker Kim Jae-sub, who had already been serving as an ambassador, said, “I am pleased that, with two politicians becoming ambassadors, the ruling and opposition parties will support the Handon industry together.” Kim added, “When I eat Korean food overseas, it tastes like something is missing,” and said, “I hope a distribution system will be created that allows pigs raised on our land to expand into the world.”

People Power Party secretary-general Chung Hee-yong said, “Chairman Lee Ki-hong lives in Goryeong County, which is in my constituency. I rushed here because I thought I’d be scolded if I didn’t come,” prompting laughter in the hall. 

Handon Person Awards and Scholarships…Applause for Those Who Have Sustained the Industry

The event also included an awards ceremony honoring those who contributed to the development of the Handon industry. 2026 The producer category of the Handon Person Awards went to Lee Sang-yong, head of the Daegu-Gyeongbuk Pork Producers Livestock Cooperative. He also received 5 million won in prize money in recognition of his long service at Handon production sites.

In the industry-academia-government category, awards went to Kim Jeong-ju, director of the Foot-and-Mouth Disease Control Division at the Agriculture Ministry, and Shin Woo-sik, director of the Livestock Policy Division, Kang Tae-young, assistant veterinary officer at the Subtropical Livestock Research Center of the National Institute of Animal Science, and Jung Jae-hyun, senior aide in National Assembly member Moon Geum-ju’s office, for contributions such as serving as bridges between the government and industry in the policy-making process.

The “Handon Future Talent Scholarship,” established to discover talent for the Handon industry and support their growth, provided scholarships totaling 36 million won to 18 students, with 2 million won per person.

Nam Gyu-ri received a plaque of appreciation for promoting Handon’s friendly image and contributing to expanded consumption through the “Pork Belly Song” she created herself.

 

“Handon Partnership” Launched…Goal to Consume 1,321 Tons by Year-End

The “Handon Partnership,” introduced for the first time this year, is a cooperation model through which producers and industry work together to raise the value of Handon. Ten official sponsors, including Gangwon Pork Producers Livestock Cooperative, Dodram Pork Producers Livestock Cooperative, and Jeju Pork Producers Livestock Cooperative, received plaques that day. Lee said, “Together with the official sponsors, we will pool our experience and capabilities to enhance the value of Handon and develop this into cooperation for shared growth,” adding, “The future of Handon will become even stronger when, on top of farms’ efforts, policy support from the government and National Assembly, cooperation from industry, and consumer trust are added.”

Starting with Handon Day, the Handon Checkoff Fund Management Committee and the Handon Association will continue a “Public Appreciation Event” through the end of the year. They will hold discount events of up to 50% at large marts, Handon-certified restaurants, and Handon Mall, and carry out the “K-PORK Handon Belt” campaign targeting foreigners, with Seoul, Busan, and Jeju as hubs. They also plan to spur consumption of a total of 1,321 tons of Handon by holding Handon sharing events during kimchi-making season and sales events linked to barbecue festivals in Seoul and Hongseong. From December to February of the following year, they will also support expanded use of Handon in institutional food service. Lee said, “We will repay the public’s love with the dedication to producing good Handon, the responsibility to consider the environment and local communities, and the challenge of opening new markets.” 

An Sung-jae: Handon Is an Ingredient Worth Taking Pride In

The first dish at the luncheon that day was prepared by Chef An Sung-jae, a Handon ambassador. It was a bite-sized dish of pork jowl meat, a cut from the loin cap, served with a sauce made from acorns from Deogyusan Mountain in North Jeolla Province.

Speaking in an onstage dialogue, Chef An said he had eaten many kinds of pork while traveling around the world, but had long wondered why seeing the Handon mark made him feel reassured and made him think of it as a premium product. The answer he found was the system connecting production to the dining table. Chef An said, “Because Handon produced in Korea reaches the table quickly and freshly, the texture of the fat and meat is clearly alive, and that is an extremely strong competitive advantage,” adding, “There is plenty of imported meat in other countries, but I do not think there is any place with such a well-established system from production to table.”

As criteria for choosing good pork, he cited color, the condition of the fat, and the texture of the meat. Chef An said, “We are so used to it that we do not even think about it, but extremely good meat is right in front of us so easily,” adding, “It is an ingredient that Koreans can eat with pride and can talk about to others.”