(Daejeon=Yonhap News) Reporter Kim Jun-ho = The Korea Forest Service announced on the 4th that Jeon Dae-hyeon (51), the representative of Daehyeon Agricultural Products, who produces jujubes in Sangju, Gyeongbuk, has been selected as the "Forester of the Month." Following in the footsteps of his father, who cultivated log shiitake mushrooms for over 40 years, Jeon began his forestry career. To promote the excellence of the regional specialty "Sangju jujubes" and to carry on the tradition, Jeon switched his product to jujubes. To produce high-quality jujubes, Jeon has meticulously cultivated jujube trees in a shape that is easy to harvest from the time the seedlings are planted. He introduced a smart drying system to create an environment where jujubes can mature and dry at optimal temperature and humidity, unaffected by the weather. Recognizing that simple production and sales have limitations in generating income, Jeon developed a premium brand "Ragon" (羅宮), which means "Silla Palace," inspired by the claim that the tradition of making jujubes dates back to the Silla Dynasty. Currently, Jeon produces around 30 tons of high-quality jujubes annually, combining those directly produced by him and those purchased from local forestry households. These jujubes have been recognized for their quality, having been selected as "Sangju Superior Agricultural Special Product," and generate an annual sales revenue of 250 million won through the use of the forest food joint brand. Lee Sang-ik, Director of the Forest Industry Policy Bureau, said, "Creating added value through processing and distribution, beyond the production of forest products, is the core of forestry competitiveness" and "We will continue to support the processing, distribution, and brand development of regional specialty forest products so that foresters can achieve high income based on the excellence of regional specialty forest products." kjunho@yna.co.kr