Purpose of Study
The purpose of this study is to deduce the current status of the functional sericulture industry and areas of improvement, and to find lacking areas and areas for growth and development in the support system to propose areas of improvements in the policy support project that can improve the sericulture industry as a sustainable industry. In more detail, it aims at proposing the status and problems of the functional sericulture industry and status of support projects, while prioritizing and improving the functional sericulture support project.

Research Method
This study presents the status of the sericulture industry, finds support projects, and prioritizes support projects through relative importance analysis (AHP) of the support project based on the results of literary and document analysis, examination of producers per sericulture industry sector and relevant institutes, interviews with local governments, production organizations and companies, hosting of expert meetings per sericulture industry sector and hosting of advisor meetings (FGI), and examinations with experts.

Functional Sericulture Support Project Direction and Support Plans
The direction of functional sericulture support projects can be divided into five areas. First, the Korea Sericultural Association must improve the system so that it can carry out the essential and fundamental functions of the functional sericulture high value industry. Second, by improving the connection of support for the functional sericulture general complex construction project and individual producers, systemization, organization and producer income improvement systems for the sericulture industry must be constructed. Third, because mulberry production and production scale of post-mulberry harvesting silkworm production cropping patterns are rapidly increasing around mulberry farms, it is necessary to support a ‘(provisionally called)sericulture (mulberry/silkworm) processing complex' in mulberry production areas. Fourth, it is necessary to come up with practical self-help funds and government support plans. Fifth, regulations and standards must be established to strengthen safe and hygienic sericulture production and distribution systems.
The direction of the functional sericulture support project can be summarized in the four following areas. First, considering the relative importance of functional sericulture support projects, it must be supported according to its stages. Support projects that must first be pursued are ① development of new functional materials, ② construction of new silkworm-raising rooms and modernization of silkworm raising facilities, ③ and support for low temperature, freezer facilities for sericulture goods.
Second, similar businesses should be packaged per operator of major support projects for support, while providing support by levying operational performance and responsibilities. The Rural Development Administration should focus on foundation seed production and distribution projects, while silkworm raising and distribution projects should be carried out by the Sericultural Association. In the case of common breeding facilities of young silkworms, it should be supported in the long-term by individual silkworm business institutes of each province, while breeding and distribution of excellent mulberry seedlings should be supported by the Rural Development Administration and tree planting association. Meanwhile, such packaged support projects should break down the project scopes as 6 billion won, 3 billion won and 1 billion won according to the conditions of each local government and business or their financial abilities, while diversifying investment scopes and methods so that it can be operated flexibly.
Third, the efficiency of using budgets for functional sericulture support projects must be improved. The current budget support per support project and budget rate per support project must be readjusted according to the importance and business ranking of support projects. Due to the recent increase of mulberry production and mulberry farms, new support projects to respond to this are necessary.
Fourth, a road map per functional sericulture support project sector and stage must be configured and pursued. Stage 1 project that should be pursued first is to construct new silkworm raising rooms and modernize silkworm raising facilities, distribution of low temperature and freezing facilities for sericulture goods, young silkworm joint breeding facility distribution, and fostering of advanced farms and experts. Stage 2 is comprised of silkworm breeding and distribution projects, mulberry field establishment support projects, and artificial feed production sectors. Stage 3 is comprised of farming experience villages, exhibit/experience facility establishment and development projects, sericulture goods processing facility construction projects, superior mulberry seedling breeding and distribution projects, and establishment of general complexes for production, processing and distribution of sericulture goods. Projects in relation to R&D, fostering self-help funds for the sericulture industry, and projects on PR and sales promotions must also be continuously carried out.


Researchers: Kyung-Phil Kim, Chang-Gon Jeon, Tae-Jin Kwon,
Seong-Yoon Heo and Sung-Kwan Jung
Research period: 2014. 3 ~ 2014. 7
E-mail address: kkphil@krei.re.kr