(Naju=Yonhap News) Reporter Areum Jang = The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Korea Rural Community Corporation announced on the 3rd that they have concluded export consultations worth 56,570,000 dollars (232 cases) and export business agreements worth 30,000 dollars (1 case) at the 2026 Niigata Agricultural Expo in Japan. The Niigata Expo, held from the 25th to the 27th of last month, saw participation from over 200 global agricultural machinery companies and 12,000 agricultural corporations and distribution-related parties. Niigata Prefecture is Japan's largest rice producer and a region actively adopting smart farms, and it is considered a hub for entering the Hokuriku (North陸) and Tohoku (Northeast) regions of Japan. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Korea Rural Community Corporation operated a Korean Pavilion with 14 domestic agricultural machinery companies at this expo. The two agencies connected major Japanese distribution companies, agricultural industry buyers, and domestic participating companies prior to the expo to enhance the effectiveness of export consultations. Additionally, they established an online promotional gallery on the expo's official website and the "Comprehensive Agricultural Export Support System" to allow local buyers to check information about Korean products in advance and make consultation reservations. The two agencies plan to operate Korean pavilions at a total of nine overseas expos this year, starting with this expo, to support the overseas expansion of South Korean agricultural machinery companies. areum@yna.co.kr