Kang Ho-dong re-elected president of ICAO in Panama
In Panama City, Panama, Kang Ho-dong, chairman of South Korea’s National Agricultural Cooperative Federation NongHyup, was re-elected president of the International Cooperative Agricultural Organisation (ICAO). According to The Korea Herald, the federation said he secured a new four-year mandate at the organization’s general assembly.
New four-year mandate
The re-election also means Kang Ho-dong’s return to the board of the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA), a global organization representing cooperatives across various sectors. He has led ICAO since July 2024 and is also a member of the ICA board and its regional organization in the Asia-Pacific region.
ICAO was founded in 1951 as the ICA’s agricultural organization. It brings together 45 institutions from 35 countries. South Korea’s National Agricultural Cooperative Federation, known as NongHyup, has led ICAO since 1998.
More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.
Seoul Declaration
During his previous term, Kang Ho-dong hosted the ICAO General Assembly in Seoul as part of events marking the UN International Year of Cooperatives in 2025. Participants then adopted the Seoul Declaration, which set out a common agenda for agricultural cooperatives.
The declaration’s priorities include strengthening food security, responding to climate change, supporting young farmers and women farmers, promoting the value of agriculture, and protecting farmers’ rights. The document also called for wider adoption of modern agricultural technologies and stronger cooperation among cooperatives to build a more resilient global food system.
According to NongHyup, Kang Ho-dong received broad support from ICAO members. He said solidarity among cooperatives is especially necessary amid climate change and food insecurity, and that the organization will work with cooperatives in different countries toward a sustainable future for the agricultural sector and rural communities.
