Article 1(Purpose) #
The purpose of this Act is to promote the increase in income of bee farms and to contribute to the promotion of national health and the national economic development by protecting and managing honeybees which have high public values in relation to the maintenance and conservation of the ecosystem, and by prescribing matters necessary to promote and support the beekeeping industry for its stable and sustainable growth.
Article 2(Definitions) #
The terms used in this Act are defined as follows:
1. The term "beekeeping industry" means a business that raises and sells honeybees or produces, processes, distributes, or sells beekeeping products or by-products that fall under each of the following categories:
a. Honey obtained by raising and managing honeybees;
b. Royal jelly, pollen, apitoxin, propolis, beewax, and pupae of drone bees obtained from honeybees, and other beekeeping by-products prescribed by Presidential Decree;
2. The term "bee farm" means a farm that raises honeybees and produces and sells beekeeping products or by-products;
3. The term "bee plant" means plants that honeybees visit to collect nectar, pollen, and sap, as prescribed by Decree of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.
Article 3(Responsibilities of the State and local governments) #
(1) The State and local governments shall formulate and implement comprehensive policies necessary to secure the competitiveness of the beekeeping industry and to ensure sustainable growth thereof.
(2) The State and local governments shall protect, promote, and distribute bee plants for the continuous expansion of bee plants.
(3) In order to ensure the sustainable growth of the beekeeping industry, the State and local governments shall ascertain the impact of climate change, such as global warming, on the beekeeping industry and take measures therefor. <Added on Sep. 14, 2023>
Article 4(Relationship to other statutes) #
Except as otherwise provided for in this Act, the promotion and support of the beekeeping industry shall be governed by the relevant statutes.
Article 5(Formulation of master plan and implementation plan) #
(1) The Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs shall formulate a master plan for promoting and supporting the beekeeping industry (hereinafter referred to as "master plan") every 5 years to promote public functions and values of honeybees, sustainable growth of the beekeeping industry, etc.
(2) The master plan shall include the following matters: <Amended on Sep. 14, 2023>
1. Current status and prospects of the beekeeping industry;
2. Direction and objectives of support for the beekeeping industry;
3. Mid- and long-term investment plans for promoting and supporting the beekeeping industry;
4. Measures for technical education on beekeeping skills and training of specialized human resources;
5. Research and development, and dissemination for stable increase in income of bee farms;
6. Matters concerning conservation and restoration of honeybees and protection of their habitats;
7. Measures for disease control of honeybees and support plans therefor;
8. Measures for creation, dissemination, and management of bee plants;
9. Exportation strategies and marketing measures for beekeeping products and by-products;
10. Matters concerning the production and adjustment of supply and demand of honey;
11. Measures taken by local governments to support beekeeping;
12. Research and study on damage to the beekeeping industry caused by climate change, such as global warming, and support plans therefor;
13. Other matters prescribed by Presidential Decree to promote and support the beekeeping industry.
(3) In order to implement a master plan, the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs shall annually formulate and implement an implementation plan for promoting and supporting the beekeeping industry (hereinafter referred to as "implementation plan") after hearing opinions of the heads of relevant central administrative agencies, as prescribed by Presidential Decree, and evaluate the performance results thereof.
(4) Where the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs deems it necessary for the formulation and implementation of a master plan and an implementation plan, the evaluation of performance results of an implementation plan, etc., he or she may request the heads of relevant agencies to submit data. In such cases, the heads of relevant agencies in receipt of a request to submit data shall comply therewith, unless there is a compelling reason not to do so.
Article 6(Fact-finding survey) #
(1) In order to efficiently formulate and implement a master plan and an implementation plan, the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs shall conduct a fact-finding survey on the current status, etc. of the beekeeping industry.
(2) If necessary for fact-finding survey under paragraph (1), the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs may request the heads of the relevant central administrative agencies, the heads of local governments, the heads of public institutions under the Act on the Management of Public Institutions (hereinafter referred to as "public institutions"), and the heads of relevant organizations to submit data. In such cases, the heads of the relevant central administrative agencies, etc. in receipt of a request to submit data shall comply therewith, unless there is a compelling reason not to do so.
(3) Matters necessary for the scope and methods of fact-finding survey under paragraph (1) shall be prescribed by Presidential Decree.
Article 7(Training of specialized human resources) #
(1) The State and local governments shall train specialized human resources necessary for promoting and supporting the beekeeping industry.
(2) The State and local governments may designate schools under Article 2 of the Higher Education Act or research institutes, institutions, or organizations established for the purpose of research activities, etc. on beekeeping as institutions for training specialized human resources for the training of specialized human resources under paragraph (1) and may require them to conduct necessary education and training.
(3) The State and local governments may fully or partially subsidize expenses incurred in education and training for institutions for training specialized human resources designated pursuant to paragraph (2), as prescribed by Presidential Decree.
(4) The State and local governments may order to revoke the designation of institutions for training specialized human resources designated pursuant to paragraph (2) or to take corrective orders thereto if it falls under any of the following cases; provided, such designation shall be revoked if it falls under subparagraph 1:
1. Where it obtains the designation by fraud or other improper means;
2. Where it fails to meet the requirements for the designation;
3. Where it fails to commence or delays the training of specialized human resources without good cause;
4. Where it fails to train specialized human resources for a consecutive period of at least 1 year without good cause;
5. Other cases prescribed by Presidential Decree.
(5) Matters concerning the requirements for designation under paragraph (2) and the procedures, methods, and standards for the revocation of designation or corrective orders under paragraph (4) shall be prescribed by Presidential Decree.
Article 8(Cultivation of new varieties of honeybees) #
In order to ensure the stable supply of honeybees, the Administrator of the Rural Development Administration shall promote the dissemination, etc. of the improvement of excellent varieties of honeybees, as prescribed by Decree of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.
Article 8-2(Installation and operation of honeybee conservation facilities) #
(1) The State and local governments may install and operate conservation facilities that meet the facility and personnel standards prescribed by Decree of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (hereinafter referred to as "honeybee conservation facilities") for the purpose of conserving honeybee genetic resources and breeding and distributing superior breeds, or may provide financial support necessary therefor within the limits of the budget.
(2) Other necessary matters concerning the installation and operation of honeybee conservation facilities, etc. shall be prescribed by Decree of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.
[This Article Added on Jul. 22, 2025]
Article 9(Research and technology development) #
In order to facilitate the development of technology related to the beekeeping industry, the State and local governments shall actively perform the following matters:
1. Research on trends and demand for technology related to the beekeeping industry;
2. Research on improving honeybee varieties;
3. Research on improving the value of the beekeeping industry, including the development of beekeeping products and by-products;
4. Development of technology for raising and managing honeybees;
5. Development of technology for controlling pests of honeybees;
6. Development of technology for prevention and control of pests of honeybees;
7. Investigation and research on habitats of honeybees following climate change, etc.;
8. Selection of bee plants and research on improvement of varieties thereof;
9. Dissemination, securing of rights, and commercialization of developed technology;
10. International cooperation and exchange of technology related to the beekeeping industry;
11. Other matters necessary for research and technology development related to the beekeeping industry.
Article 10(Creation of bee plants) #
(1) The State and local governments shall endeavor to expand bee plants in consideration of regional characteristics when creating state or public forests or renewing tree species in state or public forests.
(2) Bee farms shall actively plant bee plants around their apiaries, etc.
(3) The State and local governments may fully or partially subsidize project expenses incurred in selecting, proliferating, protecting, and managing bee plants within the budget.
(4) Matters necessary for creating bee plants under paragraphs (1) through (3) shall be prescribed by Decree of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.
Article 11(Promotion of international cooperation) #
(1) The State and local governments shall understand international trends in the beekeeping industry and promote international cooperation.
(2) The State and local governments may promote projects, such as international exchanges of technology and human resources related to the beekeeping industry and joint research, in order to facilitate international cooperation in the beekeeping industry and expansion of the beekeeping industry into overseas markets.
Article 12(Support for bee farms and beekeeping industry) #
The State and local governments may provide necessary support for the following to increase the income of bee farms and to promote the beekeeping industry:
1. Installation of facilities, equipment, and materials related to beekeeping, and facilities for processing beekeeping products and by-products;
2. Projects of cultivating and disseminating new varieties of honeybees;
3. Projects necessary for stabilizing management of bee farms;
4. Promotion of the indigenous honeybee industry succeeding to the spirit of the traditional beekeeping industry;
5. Distribution and sale of honeybees and beekeeping products and by-products;
6. Other projects that the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs deems necessary to increase the income of bee farms and promote the beekeeping industry.
Article 13(Obligation of registration of bee farms) #
(1) A bee farm shall register with the head of the relevant Si [including a Special Self-Governing City Mayor and the head of an administrative Si under Article 11(1) of the Special Act on the Establishment of Jeju Special Self-Governing Province and the Development of Free International City (hereinafter referred to as "head of an administrative Si"); hereinafter the same shall apply]/Gun/Gu (referring to the head of an autonomous Gu; hereinafter the same shall apply). <Amended on Sep. 14, 2023>
(2) A person who intends to modify any matter registered pursuant to paragraph (1) shall file a report on such modification with the head of a Si/Gun/Gu having jurisdiction over the location of the relevant place of business; provided, this shall not apply where he or she intends to modify any minor matter prescribed by Decree of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. <Amended on Sep. 14, 2023>
(3) Matters necessary for the standards, procedures, methods of registration under paragraph (1) shall be prescribed by Decree of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.
Article 14(Business succession) #
(1) Any of the following persons shall succeed to the status of a person who has filed for registration under Article 13(1) (hereafter referred to as "business operator" in this Article):
1. Where a business operator dies, his or her heir;
2. Where a business operator transfers his or her business, the transferee;
3. Where a business operator which is a corporation is merged, the corporation that survives the merger, or is newly incorporated in the course of the merger.
(2) A person who has succeeded to the status of a business operator pursuant to paragraph (1) shall report the fact to the head of the relevant Si/Gun/Gu within 30 days from the date he or she succeeded to such status, as prescribed by Decree of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.
Article 15(Hearings) #
Where the State or a local government intends to revoke the designation of an institution for training specialized human resources pursuant to Article 7(4), it shall hold a hearing.
Article 16(Registration of information related to beekeeping management) #
In order to efficiently promote policies for promoting and supporting bee farms, the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs may require bee farms to register information on beekeeping management pursuant to Article 40 of the Framework Act on Agriculture, Rural Community and Food Industry and Article 4(1) of the Act on Fostering and Supporting Agricultural and Fisheries Business Entities.
Article 17(Establishment of organizations) #
(1) Bee farms, persons, etc. engaged in the beekeeping industry may establish an organization after obtaining authorization from the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs in order to promote the sustainable development of the beekeeping industry and common interests, etc. thereof.
(2) The organizations under paragraph (1) shall be corporations.
(3) The organizations established pursuant to paragraph (1) shall endeavor to maintain sound order in the production and distribution of honeybees and beekeeping products and by-products.
(4) Where the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs deems it necessary for the sustainable development of the beekeeping industry, he or she may subsidize organizations established pursuant to paragraph (1) within the budget.
(5) Except as provided in this Act, the provisions of the Civil Act concerning incorporated associations shall apply mutatis mutandis to associations under paragraph (1).
Article 18(Delegation or entrustment of authority) #
(1) The Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs may delegate part of his or her authority under this Act to the Administrator of the Rural Development Administration, the Minister of the Korea Forest Service, the Special Metropolitan City Mayor, a Metropolitan City Mayor, a Special Self-Governing City Mayor, a Do Governor, a Special Self-Governing Province Governor, or the head of a Si (excluding a Special Self-Governing City Mayor and the head of an administrative Si)/Gun/Gu, as prescribed by Presidential Decree. <Amended on Sep. 14, 2023>
(2) The Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs may entrust part of his or her authority under this Act to an organization established pursuant to Article 17, as prescribed by Presidential Decree.
Article 19(Legal fiction as public officials for purposes of applying penalty provisions) #
Where the provisions of Articles 129 through 132 of the Criminal Act are applied, executive officers and employees of organizations engaging in affairs entrusted by the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to Article 18(2) shall be deemed public officials.
Article 20(Administrative fines) #
(1) Any of the following persons shall be subject to an administrative fine not exceeding 300,000 won:
1. A person who produces and sells honeybees or beekeeping products or by-products without registration, in violation of Article 13(1);
2. A person who fails to file a report on modification under Article 13(2);
3. A person who fails to file a report on succession of the status of a business operator under Article 14(2).
(2) Administrative fines under paragraph (1) shall be imposed and collected by the head of a Si/Gun/Gu, as prescribed by Presidential Decree.