(Jeju=Yonhap News) Reporter Go Seong-sik = The "Hahyo Salon Cooperative," established by members of the women's group in Hahyo Village, Seogwipo City, Jeju, received an Excellence Award at the 2025 National Competition for Excellent Cases of Rural Complex Industry hosted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.
According to Jeju on the 18th, the Hahyo Salon Cooperative was selected for the Excellence Award due to its high contribution to the local community, including securing stable sales channels for expanding local agricultural product consumption, increasing added value through the production of "gwajul," and creating jobs for women and young people.
The Hahyo Salon Cooperative is a producer of Jeju traditional confectionery "gwajul," established by female members of the village in 2017. "Gwajul" is a Jeju dialect term for a confection made by frying dough mixed with honey and oil in oil.
Currently, it has 18 employees and has grown to become a certified regional representative rural complex industry company, achieving an average annual sales of 1.7 billion won from 2022 to 2024.
It is a sixth industry-type company that purchases local agricultural products such as citrus and barley, produces processed products like citrus gwajul, and simultaneously operates gwajul and yuzu juice making experience programs. It received rural complex industry certification in 2019.
In this competition, Jeju has won awards for Jeju Mulmaru Doenjang School (Encouragement) in 2019, Jeju Hanul (Grand Prize) in 2020, Yujinpang (Excellence) in 2021, Hanrasanarae Cheotmaul (Grand Prize) in 2022, Jeju Sam (Excellence) in 2023, and Truss (Grand Prize) in 2024, making this the seventh consecutive year of selection.