[Weekender] Welcome to S. Korea’s first ‘vegan village’

INJE, Gangwon Province — Within the village of Sinwol-ri, nestled between the mountains of Inje-gun, Gangwon Province, sits “New Moon Village,” now dwelling for 5 rescued cows which might be driving up hopes to rejuvenate a distant village affected by inhabitants decline.

Dubbed the “Flower Cows,” the male Holstein cows had been raised as livestock for beef, and have been found at an unlicensed canine farm in Incheon in late 2020. Because the farm was compelled to close down the identical 12 months, the cows had been dealing with two attainable fates: to be relocated to a different livestock farm to face slaughter later, or fast dying.

However by way of the fundraising efforts of animal activist group Animal Liberation Wave, the cows settled into the Sinwol-ri to reside with the villagers in November 2022.

The arrival of the 5 cows within the village additionally meant one other important change within the village’s identification. Although the village’s livelihood depends on merchandise from farming and livestock similar to “hanwoo” — a cattle breed native to South Korea — activists started to name the village Korea’s first “vegan village” within the hope of attracting “curious vacationers in addition to youthful guests excited by adapting the approach to life observe.”

“After listening to concerning the thought, I used to be hesitant and so have been the opposite residents. The villagers have been confused concerning the sudden transfer to veganism as most of them have been concerned within the livestock enterprise and didn’t intend on giving that up any time quickly,” mentioned Jeon Do-hwa, Sinwol-ri’s village head.

When requested what it means to be a “vegan village,” ALW President Lee Ji-yeon outlined the time period as a “village of life and nature.”

“Although the ALW activists, together with myself, are vegan, being a vegan village doesn’t imply that the villagers all instantly switched to a strict plant-based weight loss program,” mentioned Lee. “Everybody within the village is attempting to maneuver towards a extra sustainable life-style of their manner whereas persevering with with livestock farming, which is the livelihood of many residents right here. However by changing into a vegan village and a sanctuary for the Flower Cows, we want to promote integration and coexisting concord between people and animals — in the end develop into an area for individuals who need to coexist with animals and surrounding nature.”

Boosting vacationers

For the reason that village’s identification shifted from being beforehand often called a “livestock village” to a vegan village, the village noticed a lift in vacationer numbers by way of tour applications organized with ALW activists and village residents. These tour applications not solely promote the village’s allure and tradition but in addition veganism and the Flower Cows, “who’re extraordinarily beloved by all guests,” in keeping with Lee.

“Earlier than (the ALW activists) moved to Sinwol-ri with the Flower Cows, the villagers have been already entertaining tour applications of their very own, similar to walks, harvesting corn and making rice muffins,” mentioned Lee. “However after settling into the village with the cows, the ALW activists started providing a wide range of totally different actions similar to instructional applications on animal welfare and veganism, making wholesome dishes like bibimbap out of the contemporary produce harvested within the village in addition to alternatives to fulfill and feed the Flower Cows.”

Lee added that in 2023, the 12 months the village first started its actions selling veganism, there have been 1,300 guests, a 20 % enhance in comparison with customer numbers from 2022.

In the end, after creating extra vegan recipes utilizing native elements distinctive to Inje-gun, the village goals to host an annual vegan pageant, hoping to attract 2,000 annual guests by 2025.

Attainable answer to inhabitants decline

Nonetheless, it isn’t simply the potential enhance in vacationer numbers that the village has been trying ahead to. The village faces potential extinction, because it has seen a gradual decline in inhabitants from 128 villagers in 2003 to 87 villagers in 55 households as of 2024.

Based on the Ministry of Inside and Security, these villagers are principally 65 and older. Inje-gun itself has additionally seen a gradual inhabitants decline since 1980, when it as soon as had 48,000 residents to 32,000 not too long ago attributable to its considerably excessive city migration fee of 63.6 % amongst current college graduates as of 2023.

Since relocating the Flower Cows, villagers say they’ve seen a small enhance of “younger faces,” principally of their 30s and 40s. These embody the eight ALW activists, their households and people who quickly reside within the village throughout its short-term applications lasting two to 6 months.

Choo Hyeon-uk was one of many eight activists who moved to the village in 2022 together with his spouse and two youngsters, Gaia and Sol. Having lived within the metropolis all his life, he advised The Korea Herald that shifting to the countryside had all the time been his dream.

“Once I heard that the Flower Cows wanted somebody to look after them, I felt that this was the proper alternative for me to satisfy my life targets,” talked about Choo. “I didn’t hesitate and instantly mentioned that I needed to be accountable for taking good care of the cows and their well-being. I believed this may even be an incredible alternative for me to be taught what it’s prefer to look after livestock.”

Choo added, “My youngsters are so pleased right here, and I discover a lot satisfaction in what I do for the cows on this village. Because the local weather disaster worsens, it’s essential for us to develop our meals and be taught to be self-sufficient from what we are able to domesticate from the land. I’m pleased to know I can educate my youngsters these values.”

Primarily based on the distinctiveness of the notion of a vegan village and its potential for fulfillment, Inje-gun has supplied assist funds of as much as 2.6 billion gained ($1.88 million) from September to develop the tour applications and construct further infrastructure. Along with this assist, the Inside Ministry will subsidize the village with as much as 300 million gained till 2026 as a part of the ministry’s “native branding” initiative to fund the sustainable development of rural areas by way of its distinctive traits.

With such funds, Lee advised The Korea Herald {that a} main faculty that has closed since 2019 is now being transformed right into a playground and in addition a cultural area to show guests about veganism. Close to the college, lodging may even be out there for the village’s short-term guests.

“As soon as this complete course of is full, New Moon Village will likely be formally open to the general public as New Moon Sanctuary by 2025,” Lee mentioned.