Zum Inhalt springen
Zur Hauptnavigation springen
Gehe zur Startseite des Lebensgrundlagen für morgen sichern.
Suche öffnen
Gehe zur Startseite des Lebensgrundlagen für morgen sichern.
Lebensgrundlagen für morgen sichern
Suche öffnen

Navigation

Southkorea’s National Institute of Agricultural Sciences, NAS and JKI host an International Joint Symposium and sign a Joint Declaration of Intent to intensify their research cooperation

A JKI delegation visits its cooperation partners in Jeonju from April 20th-22nd 2026.

(from left) Dr. Jehoon Sung, president of the South Korean National Institute of Agricultural Sciences (NAS) and Prof. Dr Johannes Jehle, representing the Julius Kühn Institute (JKI) and acting head of JKI’s Institute for Biological Plant Protection signed in Jeonju the ‘Joint Declaration of Intent’ between the two state-funded research institutes, which aim to establish research cooperation in order to contribute to the further development of sustainable agriculture through application-oriented cutting-edge research. © J. Pistorius/JKI
(from left) Dr. Jehoon Sung, president of the South Korean National Institute of Agricultural Sciences (NAS) and Prof. Dr Johannes Jehle, representing the Julius Kühn Institute (JKI) and acting head of JKI’s Institute for Biological Plant Protection signed in Jeonju the ‘Joint Declaration of Intent’ between the two state-funded research institutes, which aim to establish research cooperation in order to contribute to the further development of sustainable agriculture through application-oriented cutting-edge research. © J. Pistorius/JKI

Today, agriculture faces unprecedented global challenges, including climate change, biodiversity loss, and the urgent need for sustainable food systems. Addressing these complex issues requires strengthened international cooperation and science-based, collaborative research efforts. It is because of this, that Southkorea’s National Institute of Agricultural Sciences, NAS and JKI hosted an International Joint Symposium in the city of Jeonju and signed a Joint Declaration of Intent to intensify their research cooperation. The event took place in Southkorea from April 20th-22nd 2026 after a delegation of the NAS had previously visited JKIs researchfacilities in Dossenheim and Braunschweig in May 2025, to kick off their intended cooperation. Hence this International Joint Symposium also provided a fitting occasion for the signing of the Joint Declaration of Intent.

The NSA had extended an invitation to JKIs leading experts and thus it was accepted by Prof. Dr Johannes A. Jehle, Head of JKI’s Institute of Biological Plant Protection; Dr Jens Pistorius, Head of the JKI-Institute of Bee Health; Prof. Dr Andreas Stahl, who heads the JKI Institute of Resistance Research and Stress Tolerance; and Corinna Harms from the JKI’s International Relations Unit.

The joint International Joint Symposium organised by NAS and JKI, attended by 80 participants from the worlds of science, politics and business, also provided a fitting setting for the signing of the cooperation agreement (Joint Declaration of Intent). © Hani Jeong/NAS
During the meeting with the President of South Korea’s Rural Development Administration (RDA), Dr Seungdon Lee (left), gifts were exchanged. The RDA is the umbrella organisation for the South Korean research institutes NAS and NICS, with which the JKI hopes to cooperate in future. © C. Harms/JKI
Yea-Ji Min (centre), a representative of the German Embassy in Seoul, accompanied the four members of the JKI delegation on their visit to South Korea: from left, Corinna Harms (International Relations), Jens Pistorius (Head of JKI Bee Protection), Johannes Jehle (Head of Biological Plant Protection/JKI) and Andreas Stahl (Head of the JKI Institute for Resistance Research and Stress Tolerance). © Kyongmi Chon/NAS

Committed to advancing sustainable agriculture through cutting-edge, application-oriented research

On the first day of the visit on April 20th 2026 a meeting was scheduled with the acting president of the Rural Development Administration (RDA) Dr. Seungdon Lee. The RDA being the umbrella organisation for South Korea’s governmental agricultural research institutions, namely the NAS and also the National Institute for Crop and Food Science (NICS) its president Dr. Seungdon Lee expressed his hope, that the event will serve as a meaningful starting point for the enhanced cooperation between Korea and Germany, leading to impactful and forward-looking research outcomes. He stressed that both federal research institutions take a rather practical approach and are committed to advancing sustainable agriculture through cutting-edge, application-oriented research.

The joint symposium therefore began with the signing of the ‘Joint Declaration of Intent’ between the two parties, the National Institute of Agricultural Sciences (NAS) and the Julius Kühn Institute, German Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants (JKI). 

In his opening note NAS-president Dr. Jehoon Sung said: “Today’s symposium provides a valuable and timely platform for sharing our scientific achievements and exploring future directions for cooperation. Through the Joint Declaration of Intent, we anticipate that our collaboration will be further strengthened across various areas, including joint research initiatives, academic exchange, and researcher exchange.”

As leader of the JKI-delegation Professor Johannes Jehle, shared this assessment of his counterpart and reported on the trusting relationships that already had been established, and highlighted the significance of the joint symposium, which was attended by around 80 representatives from the worlds of academia, politics and business, including Yea-Ji Min, the representative of the German Embassy in South Korea. 

NAS President Dr Jehoon Sung opened the joint conference of the NAS and JKI. © Hani Jeong/NAS
A handshake seals the future cooperation between NAS and JKI: At the start of the joint conference, a cooperation agreement was signed by NAS-President Dr Jehoon Sung on the South Korean side and, representing the JKI President, Prof. Dr Johannes Jehle on the German side. © J. Pistorius/JKI

The joint symposium focused on the regulatory assessment of microbial plant protection products and biological pest control technologies, as well as protection strategies and risk assessment for honeybees and other pollinators. JKI researchers Johannes Jehle and Jens Pistorius also gave keynote presentations on these topics.

The visiting-program also includes a visit to the National Institute for Crop and Food Science (NICS), a specialist institute operating under the umbrella of the RDA. The NICS recently launched the research project ‘Introduction of Wheat Environmental Heat and Drought Stress Research Technologies in Response to Climate Change’ in collaboration with the JKI’s Institute for Resistance and Stress Tolerance (RS). Its acting head Andreas Stahl is using the visit to South Korea to hold an initial face-to-face project meeting.

The joint symposium focused on the regulatory assessment of microbial plant protection products and biological pest control technologies, as well as protection strategies and risk assessment for honeybees and other pollinators. JKI researchers Johannes Jehle and Jens Pistorius gave presentations on their fields of work. © Hani Jeong/NAS

Veröffentlicht am

Zurück…