Korea Water Resources Corporation (K-water) to Launch Online Direct Sales of Agricultural and Specialty Products Near Dams in September

[Financial News] Korea Water Resources Corporation (K-water) will begin operating a mobile-based "Local Market" in September, allowing farmers near dams to sell their agricultural and specialty products directly to consumers nationwide. The direct-sales program, which had been limited to face-to-face markets, will be converted into an always-on online sales system.
K-water said on the 31st that it first unveiled the Local Market at the 2026 A FARM SHOW, held from Aug. 28 to 30 at aT Center in Seoul.
The Local Market will be housed in the "Local Vibe" app, a platform for mutual growth around dams. It will connect local farms directly with consumers nationwide and sell agricultural and specialty products online.
It expands the face-to-face direct-sales market called "Eumjangnal," which has been held regularly at the company headquarters and regional basin offices, into an online format. By addressing the limits of the previous model, which allowed sales only during event periods, the company plans to help farms secure year-round sales channels.
K-water is also promoting a "Dam Local Branding" project that links waterside spaces and local resources with tourism content. In the second half of this year, the Yongdam Dam treasure hunt festival in Jinan County, North Jeolla Province, and the Andong Dam marathon festival in Andong-si, North Gyeongsang Province, will be held in sequence.
The first project, "Treasure Hunter in Jinan," began with a kickoff ceremony on the 29th and will run for about three weeks until Sept. 19. Participants will use the Local Vibe app to complete missions and find treasures across the region.
The A FARM SHOW venue featured an unmanned Local Market terminal, a Jinan treasure hunt experience, and an Andong Dam running experience space using treadmills. A model exhibition of an energy-independent workation village was also on display.
More than 100 local governments and public institutions from across the country took part in the fair. The event showcased ways to revitalize rural economies and future business models for the agricultural sector.
Yoon Seok-dae, president of K-water, said, "The Local Market and Dam Local Branding projects, introduced for the first time this year, are win-win models that create new growth engines by combining the clean natural environment and rich rural resources of areas near dams." He added, "We will continue to take the lead in driving practical income growth and regional revitalization that people can feel, and actively help overcome the crisis of local extinction."
[email protected] Choi Ga-young Reporter