A Lincoln student group visited one of the world’s hot spots and met Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern as part of their recent trip to Korea.
They were taking part in an Agribusiness Immersion Programme, along with Massey University students, supported by the Prime Minister’s Scholarship for Asia and New Zealand Apples and Pears, which included visiting orchards in the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) , normally off-limits.
The 241km zone has served as a buffer since the 1953 cease-fire agreement between the United Nations and North Korea that put the Korean War on hold. Only 4km separate North Korea from South Korea, at what is described as the most heavily armed border on earth.
They also met the Prime Minister at Auckland airport on their journey home, and had the opportunity to share their experiences with her.
The focus of the trip was to familiarise students with the food market and industry in South Korea, focusing on horticultural crops that are of common interest between New Zealand and South Korea.
During the programme students had a briefing at the New Zealand Embassy with New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) and the ambassador, as well as a seminar and tour of the Food Biz Lab at Seoul National University.
They also went to food start-up incubators in Seoul, Korean government agencies, processors and supermarkets.
A planned visit to Jeju Island where Zespri is producing kiwifruit had to be postponed due to typhoon Lingling disrupting flights.
There will be a follow-up trip to South Korea in November where students will be collecting data on consumer preferences for apples and doing an analysis of the apple market there, as well as visiting universities.