Health · Healthcare & Policy · 1 hr ago
South Korea ends farm machinery safety alarm pilot after three years
In South Korea, lawmakers criticized the Rural Development Administration for ending a farm machinery safety pilot after three years.
Farm work is far more dangerous than work across industry overall, with its injury rate more than eight times the average.
About 300 farmers died while working in 2024 and 2025, and 176 had died by August 2026.
Farm machinery accidents were the leading cause of farmer deaths, accounting for 171 of the 293 deaths in 2025 and 104 of 176 by August 2026.
From 2021 to 2023, the agency spent 420 million won on a pilot supplying devices that could detect when machinery tipped over by more than 45 degrees and alert emergency services and family members.
The national pilot ended after three years, leaving distribution to local governments and private partners, and the number of devices supplied fell.
A lawmaker called for the program to be restored and its budget greatly increased, but no decision on restarting it was reported.
South Korea’s Rural Development Administration ended a pilot program that provided farm machinery safety and accident-detection equipment after three years.
The program ran from 2021 to 2023 and received 420 million won in funding.
The equipment could automatically contact emergency services and alert family if machinery tilted by more than 45 degrees.
Farm machinery accidents accounted for 171 of 293 agricultural worker deaths in 2025.
Assembly member Jang Sik Shin criticized the program’s cancellation and called for its restoration and expanded funding.
- Who
- South Korea’s Rural Development Administration ended the pilot program. Assembly member Jang Sik Shin criticized the decision.
- What
- A pilot program providing IoT farm machinery traffic-safety and accident-detection equipment was discontinued after three years.
- When
- The pilot ran from 2021 to 2023. The decision was reported on October 14, 2026.
- Where
- South Korea.
- Why
- The program was ended as a sunset project after its three-year pilot. The article does not state a further reason.
Jang Sik Shin
Rural Development Administration
Program continuation
Jang Sik Shin
Shin said the program should be restored and its budget greatly increased to protect farmers.
Rural Development Administration
The administration ended the program after its three-year pilot as a sunset project.
National provision
Jang Sik Shin
Shin called for safety equipment to be expanded across rural areas nationwide.
Rural Development Administration
After national provision stopped, distribution depended on local governments and private-sector cooperation.
The Rural Development Administration began the pilot program.
The program received a total of 420 million won and provided safety and accident-detection equipment.
The program ended as a sunset project, and distribution came to rely on local governments and private-sector cooperation.
Yonhap reported Shin’s criticism of the program’s cancellation.
- Funding
- 420 million won
- Pilot period
- 2021–2023
- Tilt trigger
- More than 45 degrees
- Farm machinery deaths
- 171 of 293 agricultural worker deaths in 2025
- Deaths in 2026
- 104 farm machinery deaths through August, out of 176 agricultural worker deaths
1 source
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What people are saying
At a time when safety equipment should be rapidly expanded across rural areas to prevent repeated farm machinery accidents, the program was stopped after just three years.
Protecting farmers’ lives is a basic duty of the state, so the safety equipment distribution program must be restored and its budget greatly expanded.