Professional Documents
Culture Documents
ICOOP
ICOOP
iCOOP KOREA
171-9 Singil-dong Yeongdeungpo-gu Seoul, R.O.Korea(150-050) Tel. 82-2-1577-0014
E-mail. [email protected] www.icoop.or.kr
※ This book is made from recycled paper to save trees and the environment.
No chloride bleach or fluorescent pigments included.
2012 is the International Year
of Co-operatives by the U.N.
Ethical consumerism:
a most beautiful practice
iCOOP KOREA 2011 Annual Report
iCOOP Solidarity of Consumer Co-operatives(iCOOP KOREA)
iCOOP KOREA
iCOOP KOREA Today
129,666 persons
118,824 persons
75 member societies
In spite of hard economic condition surrounding consumers, iCOOP Solidarity of Consumer Cooperatives
(referred to as “iCOOP KOREA” hereafter) has achieved powerful performance.
The contribution of 263 billion KRW and 118,824 members are valuable records that show We do band together,
as times get hard spirits of all members. These records are highest in South Korea’s consumer co-op group,
almost double times than other consumer co-op groups.
Part
1 Introduction
Introduction
Foreword
The year 2010 was a very painful one. The impacts of unpredictable climate changes have ceaselessly caused trouble to countries across
the globe including Korea. Last fall when the Korean cabbage price shot to an unprecedented 15,000 KRW, the Koreans were forced to
rethink about the fundamental structure of the agricultural industry. It was then and there that the public’s attention flicked towards
iCOOP’s direct trade and contract-based production systems that it has evolved for the past 20 years. The economy was getting ever more
unstable due to the world-wide economic crisis, and rocketing prices of oil and produce. Once again, it was ordinary Koreans that had
to bear the brunt of economic imparity and high prices. As has been the case in the past, however, iCOOP’s organizational and business
capabilities have shone a glimmer of hope in the dark economic tunnel in 2010 again, and have successfully helped broaden iCOOP’s
organizational and business horizons by leaps and bounds.
Only when consumer co-operative is able to garner the people’s participation beyond their own boundaries, they can realize their social
values in the community. munity. mt the comwhen iCOOP began to lay the foundation for realizing iegasocial values. There is still a long
way to go until we will be able to bring about or realiin eity. corner of ourasociety, buto go uood newliis that ouramembership has surpases.
Tgo 1munewlimark. Business capinesscreated byg wtive member participation has given birth to NatesscDream stores. Theyg sscnuraj
pa eco-friendly organic food stores, butoaip hast reinventing Tgomasovong munplacp has sharing,asolidarity and communication that
re-inviuorates locessnd commuand facilitates social tiesicin 2010 ner ofhikes putopressesscrn the societyg munwhole, we will besoarner
ofhikes puvegetes ls suchg m beean cabbage. Through a series of its policies such as direct trade, contract-based production, price sta-
bilization funds and double rice price, iCOOP KOREA has brought fresh hope to producers while providing livelihood to its members. This
positives waves are now flowing over the iCOOP KOREA threshold to reach other parts of the society.
In the spirit of co-operative pioneers, iCOOP leads by example in realizing social justice. In 2010, as part of its effort to fulfill universal
welfare, iCOOP launched Free School Meal campaigns and provided meals made of eco-friendly food ingredients to all students regardless
of their families’ income levels. In the process, iCOOP is helping to revamp unfair international trading frameworks by opening a window
of opportunity for overseas producers and Korean consumers to unite with each other.
One of the most touching achievements that iCOOP has made in 2010 is the earnest start of the [iCOOP Eco-friendly organic food cluster]
project. This project is unprecedented in that it is one exclusively driven by private contributions and will serve as iCOOP KOREA’s production
and logistics base camp. It was again through member economic participation that this project has come into being and secured the land
for construction, and the train will continue to chug forward fuelled by our members’s will power in the future.
www.icoop.or.kr
iCOOP has long committed itself to promoting its co-operative movement, and has come to a new starting line. In line with the year 2010
theme, “the International Day of Co-operatives”, iCOOP KOREA will continue to do our utmost to make the world a better place and to
shine a glimmer of hope to our country. I extend my deepest gratitude to members and all the people who support iCOOP KOREA.
01
Part
1 Introduction
iCOOP KOREA’s iCOOP KOREA began with 6 local cooperatives in the Seoul-Gyeonggi area in 1997. Since
then it has contributed greatly in popularizing the consumer cooperatives movement in
History
Korea, and its cooperatives membership has grown to 75 in 2010.
2010 ・Jan. I Ownership hand-over completed on 5.94 million m2 wide primary land for “Eco-friendly organic
food cluster”
・Feb. I Nation-wide Signature Campaign by local co-operatives for resolution of “The Women Drafted for
Military Sexual Slavery by Japan” issue
I ICA Relief Fundraising for Haiti in Korea
I Scholarship for Department of Co-operative Business Administration, Sungkonghoe University
・Mar. I iCOOP KOREA receives Plaque of Recognition from Ganghwa Woori Village
I Participates in “Korea-Japan 2,500km Walk with Terasita Takesi” in memory of independence
activist Ahn Jung-geun
・Apr. I Launches iCOOP office for Eco-friendly Free School Meal
I Opens iCOOP Gyeongnam Logistics Center(specializing in eco-friendly produce)
・May I 8th Suncheon Native Wheat Festival
I Campaign to set up Stationery Banks in fair trade producer countries
・June I Walking Activity on Goesan Eco-friendly organic food cluster land
I Site Visit to Co-operatives in UK and Mondragon Group in Spain
・July I Celebration Event for 88th “International Day of Co-operatives”
I Briefing on Eco-friendly Organic Food Cluster for Goesan residents
・Aug. I ICA/iCOOP Workshop on Development of Consumer Cooperatives in Asia
I Signature and Fundraising for Newspaper Ads Campaign Against Cable Cars at Mt. Jiri
・Sep. I Attending in 9th Regional Assembly of ICA Asia Pacific in China and 6th Asia Pacific Coop Forum
(OH Mi-yea, incumbent iCOOP Association of Consumer Co-operatives Chairwoman and president
of iCOOP Mutual Aid Society for Korean Agriculture delivers keynote speech)
I Korea Certification Center for Eco-friendly Foods Inc. approved as “Gyeonggi-do Eco-friendly
Produce Certification Center”
I Promoters Meeting for iCOOP Seed Foundation(former iCOOP Share-Happiness Foundation)
・Oct. I iCOOP members/producers/employees participates fundraising campaign to build Fair Trade
Mascobado Sugar Mill at Panay, Philippines
I iCOOP KOREA’s Co-op Festival
・Nov. I iCOOP donates Sharing with Neighbor Rice at Goesan-gun(Chilseong-myeon)
I Korean Eco-friendly Organics Accreditation Center Inc. designated as “Certification Organization
for Organics Processing”
I Site visit to Lega coop and ANCC in Italy(Roma and Bologna)
・Dec. I Breaks ground for Fair Trade Mascobado Sugar Mill in Philippines
I Campaign of Member bonds and Fund Raising for Stable Purchases from producers in 2011
I iCOOP Seed Foundation established and approved as non-profit foundation
2009 ・Jan.
・Apr.
I Inaugural assembly of iCOOP Association of Producer groups
I Symposium in celebration of ICA membership
・May I World Fair Trade Day Festival in Korea
I Opening ceremony for Suncheon Native Wheat Confectionary
・June I Consecutive exhibition program of showing Documentary film, My heart hasn’t broken(tale of Ms.
Song, a sex slavery of former Japanese Imperial Army), for local co-ops
・July I Guest lecture of a mascobado sugar producer’s from Panay Fair Trade Center(the Philippines)
I Establishment of the Council of Korean Cooperatives
I International Co-operative Day 2009 Ceremony and Workshop
・Oct. I Campaign for increasing Share Capital of 70 thousands members launched
・Nov. I Events for celebrating the 50th Natural Dream store lauching
(the Seminar and Festival on Native Wheat) / Attended to ICA GM in Geneva.
・Dec. I Attended to the 43rd Meeting of ICA Committee on Consumer Cooperation for Asia and the Pacific
in Pune(India)
2008 ・Jan. I Name change from ‘Korean Solidarity of Consumer Co-operatives’ to ‘iCOOP Solidarity of
Consumer Co-operatives’
・Feb. I Korea-Japan Symposium on the 10th Ramsar Convention and Biodiversity in Rice paddies
I Founding of Center for KCOD Co.Ltd
I Awarded Medal of Honor by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
・Mar. I Opening of the 1st Nature Dream store in Songpa district
I iCOOP KOREA aired on KBS TV show, “Consumer Report”
- “The Truth of Untruthful Foods” as the alternative
・Apr. I Ian Mcpherson guest lecture
I Grand rally against Korean-US Beef Agreement
02
・May I 14 Protests to amend the Korea-Us Beef Agreement in front of Cheongwadae
(the Presidential Residence of the Republic of Korea)
・Aug. I Establishment of Committee on the Eco-friendly Food Production Cluster
・Sep. I Conclude agreement for inspection of mad cow diseases in Korean beef with Veterinary
Medicine Department, Seoul Univ.
I Press conference on the melamine incident
・Nov. I Contribute to the selection of ‘Draft Resolution X.31 Enhancing biodiversity in rice paddies
as wetland systems’ at the 10th Ramsar Convention
・Dec. I Gain full membership in the ICA
I iCOOP KOREA on KBS TV show, “Consumer Report” on food additives in hams as the
alternative organization
I iCOOP KOREA aired on MBC TV show, “MBC Prime,” on wise consumer choices and its influence
on the market
2007 ・Apr.
・June
I Opening ceremony of a logistics center in South Jeolla province
I Consumer Monitors for Mad Cow Disease of US Beef
・Aug. I Donation to Edagawa Korean School in Japan
・Oct. I Symposium and Ceremony for the 10th Anniversary of iCOOP Solidarity Consumer Co-operatives
・Nov. I Agreement on ‘Practice of Ethical Consumption’ with the ‘Worker’s Union in Bank of Korea’
・Dec. I Signing of MOU with Geosan local government for Eco-friendly Food Cluster investment
I Participation in restoring Taean Coastline affected by oil spill
I Donation toward meal service for North Korea’ children
I Natural Dream’s “Hanwoo-Yechan” selected as the 1st organic produce-friendly restaurant
2006 ・Feb. I Symposium on Social Agreement on Food Safety and Enhancing Korea’s
Agriculture(venue:National Assemby Memorial Hall)
・May I Participation in the national “Support for Native Rice Campaign”
I Opening ceremony for iCOOP Institute of Consumer Co-operatives
・June I 1st exchange of the rice paddies’ biodiversity research between Korean and Japanese NGOs
・Aug. I Send ramen to victims of flood in North Korea
・Oct. I Campaign against Korea-US FTA in Jeju island(33 local co-ops)
・Dec. I Awarded First Prize for ‘Distribution for Eco-Friendly Agriculture’ by the Ministry of Agriculture and
Forestry and the Ministry of Environment
2005 ・May I Preparatory committee launched for Korea Ceritification of Distribution for Eco-friendly food as-
sociation
・Oct. I The “10,000 Consumer Campaign for Korean Rice and Wheat’ jointly held in Seoul, with 10,000
consumers/citizens and 22 civic groups
2004 ・Mar. I Purchase of land for the Joongbu logistics center in Goesan, Chungcheongnam-do
・June I Donation to Ryong-cheon province, North Korea
・Sep. I held a meeting for reading research papers about the ‘distribution certification system’
2002 ・Jan.
・Feb.
I Establishment of the Native Wheat Purchasing Fund
I Opening of 3 logistics centers in 3 regions(Ulsan, Jeju city, Damyang)
・Apr. I Publication of “The New Consumer Cooperatives Movement” on iCOOP KOREA’s activities
・Nov. I Establishment of Korean Association of Consumer Co-operatives; 1st iCOOP Festival(held annually)
・Dec. I Business-School collaboration ceremony with Sungkonghoe(Anglican) University and Korean
Solidarity of Consumer Cooperatives
2001 ・Mar.
・May
I Restoration ceremony(turnout:250 members)
I Introduction of automated payment service and CMS system
・June I Name change from 21C Consumers’ Cooperatives to Korean Solidarity of Consumer Cooperatives
・Sep. I 1st training session for member activists
2000 ・Jan.
・June
I Reorganization of iCOOP KOREA as an association of consumer cooperatives and producer groups
I 21Century Consumer Co-operatives registered as a corporation by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
・Dec. I Fire in one of the principal logistics center in the metropolitan area
I An extraordinary board of directors’ meeting held to discuss restoration by loaning from coopera-
tives members and producers
1999
www.icoop.or.kr
・Oct. I Standardization of 6 consumer co-op member business systems in the metropolitan area
1997 ・Aug. I Preparatory committee created for Consumer Co-operatives in Seoul and Incheon
・Sep. I Entered the purchase and supply business
・Nov. I First edition of consumers’ cooperatives newspaper published
03
Part
2 Ethical Consumerism in practice by iCOOP KOREA
Ethical If consumption is considered an act of economic voting, the cash or credit cards in our
wallet are ballots. Where would you cast your vote? Purchasing chocolate produced
Consumerism:
from child labor contributes to the power and prosperity of that company. Supporting
protect yourself, producers honest to consumers and nature alike, enterprises that respect their employees
your neighbors, and consider the well-being of animals and the global environment, and promoting ethical
and the world production can all become possible through ethical consumption. Ethical consumption
is a small but easy gesture for sustainability.
Ethical iCOOP KOREA practices ethical consumerism based on three core values:respect for
people and labor, food safety, and agriculture and the environment.
Production
improved by Respect for people and labor Respect for
Ethical • onetary contribution from members is spent toward economic
M People and
Labor
Consumption projects that meet members’ requests, and the profit is reinvested Ensuring Agriculture
in new projects. Food
Safety
and the
environment
•E
thical consumption objects labor exploitation and products made
by exploiting labor.
[ Diagram of Ethical Consumerism
basis by iCOOP KOREA ]
04
Ensuring food safety
iCOOP KOREA promotes production and consumption of safe foods made without the
use of toxins like agrichemicals or harmful food additives. We lead the campaign to
improve food safety standards through legal and structural measures.
05
Part
3 iCOOP KOREA’s Business
Seobu delivery
center
Dongbu delivery
center Direct charge system
Gwacheon delivery
Central logistics
center In the Direct charge system allows the use of co-op budget pooled from monthly membership
center
fees. This guarantees that local co-op societies are run by co-op members and encourages
Cheonan delivery
center the use of co-op budgets, ultimately stabilizing production and making products affordable
Joongbu logistics
center for everyone.
Gyeongbuk logistics
center
Jeonbuk delivery
center 1 A national logistics network
Gwanju logistics
Gyoengnam logistics
center
(7 logistics centers, 8 delivery centers)
center
Busan delivery
The national logistics network dramatically reduced logistical
center
Mokpo delivery
center
Jeonnam logistics
center Jinju delivery
center
costs by directly connecting producers and consumers. This
resulted in a more stable product supply, fresher products,
lower production costs, and increased consumption of eco-friendly agricultural produce.
The logistics infrastructure allows popularization of the co-op movement through the
Jeju logistics
center establishment of co-op societies in smaller cities.
06
Member convenience system
(stabilization of order, delivery, and payment systems)
iCOOP KOREA is the first consumer cooperative in the country to open an on-line store,
allowing members to conveniently order products from home. Along with more women
entering the workforce, we have expanded our delivery days to five days a week plus Saturday
On-line store web site and adopted the CMS(Cash Management Service) payment system to increased convenience
and avoid excess credit card fees.
Natural Dream Story is a bi-monthly publication introducing iCOOP KOREA’s unique and safer
products, various iCOOP recipes, and stories of our producers.
•C reation of joint brands and share information on public interest, confidence, and effective
management as an eco-friendly food production complex
• Create added value by developing tourism products
◉ Key Developments
• Dec. 2007 I Signing of MOU with Geosan-gun government for the Eco-friendly Organic Food Cluster
• Jan. 2008 I Cluster investment promotion
• July 2008 I Workshop on Eco-friendly Organic Food Cluster
• Dec. 2008 I 1st Eco-friendly Organic Food Cluster Committee training session in Japan
• Jan. 2009 I 2nd Eco-friendly Organic Food Cluster Committee training session in Japan
• Apr. 2009 I Beginning to secure land for the Cluster(currently secured 90% of required land)
• Oct. 2009 I Walking on the land of our cluster in Annual Members’ Festival in Goesan
• Nov. 2009 I Cluster Execution Committee’s 1st visit to Europe
• Jan. 2010 I Ownership hand over completed on main lands for Eco-friendly organics cluster
• Mar ~ July 2010 I Cluster Industrial Complex Plan (draft) developed(four times of advisory
meetings held)
• June 2010 I Walk for Cluster Land by iCOOP members
• July 2010 I Submission of approval request for Cluster Industrial Land to Chungcheong-
of approval
08
Part
4 iCOOP KOREA’s Products
iCOOP Products: Consumer cooperative members constitute the “Product Dealing -decision Committee,”
through which iCOOP produces products, based on members’ needs, and chooses the
a mother’s choice
best products based on quality, price, and confidence.
Safe, trustable 1 iCOOP KOREA stabilizes popular product prices with an effective
logistics infrastructure and the co-op funding system. As a result,
food for
every Korean will have access to safer foods and better health.
everyone
A win-win pricing 2 In iCOOP KOREA’s pricing system, the consumers will decide on the
criteria for pricing. Producers will profit according to sales, but their
system satisfying
income will be guaranteed to a certain level. This pricing system
both producers satisfies both parties and eventually a new mechanism in the market.
and consumers
Production and Reliable information from the farm to your table, brought to you by
distribution Center for Korea Certification of Distribution for eco-friendly foods association makes
sure that no imported or ordinary agricultural products enter Korea’s eco-friendly food
process
production and distribution chain. The “A Mark”(distribution certification code) allows
approved by the consumer access to information on the producer, cultivation and distribution process,
“A Mark” and other essential information online.
10
A Mark
• atented name:Organic Farm Product Chain
P
Protection Method
• Registration number:10-0851180
※ Center for KCOD was designated as a Private Production Certification Facility(No. 40) on Feb. 28, 2008.
Gaining trust Transparency and strict management and surveillance of information are at the core of
gaining trust. This process becomes the base for producing safer products.
through a strict
supply contract,
certification production
Inspection for
order
Storage in
supply
13
Part
5 iCOOP KOREA’s Activities
Training iCOOP KOREA provides educational support for local co-op officials to cultivate better,
activists through democratic management skills and understanding of the cooperatives movement. In
2010, 6,172 members participated in various educational programs.
member
education Activist trainings in local co-ops members
- iCOOP KOREA 101
The activist training program includes about cooperative movements and iCOOP KOREA’s
1
policies.(In 2010, 1270 activists from local co-ops participated in iCOOP 101)
iCOOP College
iCOOP College is an advanced course for the activists having completed the board member
course. iCOOP College is comprised of three classes: the business administration course
aimed at enhancing managing leadership of member activists; the iCOOP academy focused
on refining understanding and knowledge in social science; and the liberal arts course
◉ i-zine(www.icoopweb.or.kr)
Published its 133rd issue in June 2009, Updated on the 1st of every month, i-zine is a humorous
and heart warming online magazine offering stories from our everyday life and useful information.
14
iCOOP KOREA on 2011 Action Status on iCOOP KOREA’s rice field
Environmental ecosystem research committee
and Agricultural In commemoration of the 5th anniversary of its rice field ecosystem research, iCOOP
KOREA with over 50 of its members has been conducting various studies on paddy-
Protection
field creatures in Korea. This year iCOOP KOREA is planning to expand its research to
paddy fields in Bongha village, Namwon and Yesan along with researches on main iCOOP
granaries such as Hongseong, Gosan, Buan and Sangju. The focus of these studies is to
have a clear understanding of diverse creatures living in Korea’s paddy fields and of the
ecosystem of weeds growing around paddies. Rice field ecosystem research has been
considered too a professional arena for member activists to join, so iCOOP KOREA has
opened “the Fun Paddy-field School” for members and children, in which participants
are given an opportunity to become a farmer themselves, visiting paddy fields and experiencing
the ecosystem firsthand. This program is giving members a rare opportunity to grasp
the importance of paddy farming, the environment and living creatures in it.
The 6th Korea-Japan Joint Rice field Ecosystem Research Exchange is scheduled to
be held in Hongseong from July 21-July 23 under the banner of “Back to Paddy Field
Full of Life”. Discussions at this event will focus on paddy-field creatures and organic
agriculture with the agenda including the research campaigns that promote farmers
who practice biodiversity-oriented methods and environmental agriculture; and
pleasurable changes at paddy field that help connect cities with agricultural communities. A
fund-raising event will also be held for environmentalists working hard at the disaster-
stricken Miyagi prefecture, Japan.
15
Part
5 iCOOP KOREA’s Activities
◉ Major achievements of iCOOP KOREA’s rice field ecosystem research committee, Gyeori
• Jan. 2008 I Participation in Ramsar Convention Asia regional meeting, submit pro-
posal for the Rice paddy resolution
• Feb. 2008 I Organize a joint workshop on biodiversity in rice paddies with Korean con-
sumer co-operatives, environmental and farm groups
• Feb. 2008 I Korea-Japan symposium on biodiversity in rice-paddies and the
Ramsar Convention
• Apr. 2008 I Educate members of the Korean Ramsar NGO Network(Korean con-
sumer co-ops, environmental and farm groups, etc.)
• Aug. 2008 I Participation in the 3rd Korea-Japan research on biodiversity in rice
paddies(in Japan)
• Oct. 2008 I Participation in the World Wetlands NGO Conference
• Oct. 28 ~ Nov. 4, 2008 I Participation in the 10th Ramsar Convention and adoption of Rice
◉R
ice production through new cultivation method to enhance biodiversity in rice paddies:
“In the Rice Fields”
iCOOP KOREA restores the ecosystem by fostering an environment that allows many rice field
organisms to thrive. iCOOP also supplies its members with high quality rice from biodiversity
promoting cultivation methods.
◉P
R Efforts to Raise Awareness of Wetlands
The iCOOP KOREA’s rice field ecosystem research committee has organized lectures for local
communities, and collaborated with Daegu MBC, a broadcasting company, to create a TV program
on paddy-field living creatures, raising public awareness of wetlands.
16
10,000 Consumer Campaign for
Korean Rice and Wheat
Every May, iCOOP KOREA is busy preparing for the Suncheon Local Wheat Festival to
promote the joys of consuming Korean native wheat. The Suncheon Local Wheat Festival
hosted by iCOOP and supported by the city of Suncheon, offers various activities and
food samples to advertise the excellent quality of home grown wheat.
17
Part
5 iCOOP KOREA’s Activities
18
◉ East Timor fair trade coffee
iCOOP KOREA supports economic independence of East Timor. 400 KRW per box of coffee sold
goes toward farmers and children in hunger and poverty due to ongoing internal warfare.
1 2 3
1 _ Panay Fair Trade Center in
Panay(Mascobado origin),
Philippines
2 _ Columbia Coffee farmer
3 _ Fair-trading Black pepper
female producers in Nepal
19
Part
5 iCOOP KOREA’s Activities
• July 7, 2009 I Held guest lecture of a mascobado sugar producer’s from Panay Fair
Trade Center(in Philippine), Ceremony of Ethical consumerism
Declaration and Fair trade Agreement among members.
• Oct. 30 ~ 31, 2009 I 1st Walking Fair Trade
• Jan. 13, 2010 I “Fair Trade Promotion Commission” renamed as “Fair Trade Commission”
• May 8, 2010 I Korea Festival on International Fair Trade Day
• May 10 ~ 14, 2010 I Site Visit to KTE, Nepalese Pepper Producer
• Oct. 29 ~ 30, 2010 I 2nd Walking Fair Trade
• Nov. 29, 2010 I Presentation on fair trade at Asia CSR Entrepreneurs Conference
• Nov. 30 ~ Dec. 4, 2010 I Visit to Ground-breaking Ceremony for Panay AKC Mascobado Sugar
Mill, Philippines
※ Every May, iCOOP KOREA takes part in Korea’s International Fair Trade Day events with various
Korean fair trade associations.
20
iCOOP KOREA iCOOP KOREA was the first to gain membership in
and international the ICA among Korean consumer co-operatives
co-operatives iCOOP KOREA gained full membership of the ICA in December 2008. With the support
of the ICA, iCOOP KOREA will now be able to:
A. develop principles and values of co-ops in South Korea and around the world
B. Have increased international exchange and collaboration for the development of the
cooperatives movement
※O
n July 3, 2009, the Council of Korean Cooperatives was established on July 3, 2009 by six
Korean members organizations in the ICA:NACF(National Agricultural Cooperative Federation),
NFFC(National Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives), KFCC(Korean Federation of Community
Credit Coopertives), National Forestry Cooperatives Federation, the National Credit Union
Federation of Korea, and iCOOP KOREA.
21
Part
5 iCOOP KOREA’s Activities
iCOOP KOREA’s In line with the cooperative’s solidarity and ethical values, iCOOP KOREA continues to
contribute to local communities and support the socially marginalized.
spirit of
solidarity and Fund-raising activities for Japan earthquake
fellowship and Tsunami(2011)
iCOOP KOREA also has started emergency relief fund-raising campaign ‘Gambare, Nippon!’
from 18th to 31th of March. This campaign had been progressed through the iCOOP
KOREA’s home page and 95 ‘iCOOP NaturalDream’ retail shops all over the country. The
total amount contributed KRW 20,261,500 had been donated to Japanese consumer
co-operatives to be used at early stage restoration such as buying relief supplies.
22
3 Construction Campaign for Mascobado Sugar Mill in
Panay, Philippines(2010)
In its effort to errect a Mascobado Plant for PANAY Fair Trade Center(PFTC) in Philippines,
iCOOP organized a month-long Hope Fund-raising Campaign from 1 Oct. 2010 to 1 Nov.,
which enjoyed active participation from all stake-holders(members, producers and
4 entire staff). iCOOP’s entire staff and members engaged themselves in this campaign
voluntarily for the great cause of understanding the truest meaning of fair trade and
putting into practice ethical consumption(a type of consumption that solidifies human
relationship, and protects the environment by promoting eco-friendly organic agricultural
methods in the Third World).
5
Solidarity for Haitian people
iCOOP KOREA took a campaign for solidarity from Feb.4th till April 28th 2010 for Haitian people
suffering from earthquake. About 40 thousands dollars from more than 3000 members
will be donated to ICA for emergency relief and reconstruction of local cooperatives in Haiti.
6
Donations to victims of Flood in North Korea(2006)
August 2006 collaborates with consumer co-ops to provide 30,000 instant noodles.
1% of monthly iCOOP KOREA member donations is allocated to the Share Fund to assist
these organizations regularly. Those organizations that use iCOOP products are exempt
anizathe monthly member donation.usnother fund created in cooperation with producers
is used to assist eco-friendly rice.
23
Part
6 iCOOP KOREA’s Group Structure
The number of iCOOP KOREA’s local co-op societies are located in all major Korean cities, such as
Seoul, Busan, and include consumer cooperatives operating in workplace units, such
iCOOP KOREA’s
as the Korean Railway Worker’s Union.
local Co-ops:75
The Consumer The followings are the businesses operating on donations from 75 nation-wide member
co-operatives and their members.
Cooperatives
Group iCOOP Solidarity of Consumer Co-operatives(Chairperson SIN, Bok-su)
This organization is in charge of purchasing, developing, supplying products, consultation for members, and
settling payments. It tries to provide safer and more affordable products through integration and effective
management of logistics, throughout the country.
AFT(Korea Certification of Distribution for eco-friendly foods Association, President PARK, In-ja)
With the “A mark,” KCOD has created new inspection criteria for the entire producing, distributing, and consumption
process so consumers can safely trust organic produce.
The Production followings are enterprises founded on producer contributions led by the iCOOP Association
of Producer Group.
part
iCOOP Association of Producer Groups(President LEE, Soo-geum)
Affiliated with iCOOP KOREA, the Association promotes sustainability and ethical production in agriculture and the
general society.
1
(Agricultural Corporation)iCOOP Agricultural Production-Representative
Director JOO, Jung-bok(Former Director of Hongseong Poolmu Cooperative)
Unlike common wholesale market for agricultural products, iCOOP Agricultural Production is an online wholesale
market for organic produce under the iCOOP Association of Producer Group, established with contributions from
iCOOP Solidarity of Consumer Co-operatives and producers. It manages such eco-friendly produce as rice, Korean
wheat, minor grains, vegetables and fruits.
meeting Co-op Bakery, established in June 2010, is managed directly by iCOOP KOREA for purpose to make fresh and delicious
breads, cakes, and sweets stuffs sold in Natural Dream stores. This factory clears Natural Dream’s criteria for dealing
foods, for example, fresh materials cultivated in eco-friendly farming from local farmers and no artificial additives.
List of Member
Local
co-operatives
• Yangcheon Jeollabuk-do
• Seoul • amwon
N
• Songpa(associate) • Somri
• Jeonju
Incheon city
• anghwa
G Gwangju city
• Gyeyang • itgoeul-Citizen Coalition
B
• Inchen • Bitgoeul
• Namdong Yeonsu(associate) • Bitgoeul Seogu
Gyeonggi-do Jeollanam-do
• oyang
G • wangyang
G
• Gunpo • Mokpo
• Gimpo • Suncheon
• Bucheon-Citizens Coalition
• Uijungbu
• Gwangju Hanam(associate)
• heongju
C • Changwon Busan city Gangwon-do
• Cheongju YWCA • Tongyoung • outh Busan
S • Chuncheon-Citizen Coalition(associate)
• Masan(associate) • Busan Dongnae
26
Increasing year turnover Year-on- Direct charge membership growth rate # of member # of Natural
(KRW) year (Total membership)(person) coop Dream stores
annual turn over 1998 15.2 - 633 - 6 -
and number of 1999 29.4 93.4% 1,229 94.1% 7 -
members 2000 53.3 81.2% 2,470 100.9% 15 -
2001 83.0 55.7% 3,330 34.8% 26 -
2002 165.0 98.7% 7,538 26.3% 35 -
2003 287.0 73.9% 11,645 54.4% 46 -
2004 494.4 72.2% 15,368 31.9% 58 -
2005 601.0 21.5% 16,808 9.3% 62 -
2006 760.0 26.4% 20,097 19.5% 62 6
2007 942.4 24.0% 22,350(34,291) 11.2% 65 25
2008 1,301.5 38.1% 35,204(54,660) 57.5%(+59.4%) 70 38
2009 2,062.0 58.4% 56,100(78,593) 59.3%(+43.7%) 73 66
2010 2,632.7 27.6% 85,116(118,824) 51.7%(+51.1%) 75 96
※ as of Dec. 2010
(unit:hundred mill.)
27
Part
7 iCOOP KOREA’s Business Status
Membership increase
(unit:person)
Share capital total asset investment investment for special purposes loans taken out
Status 2008 4,598,635,076
members
3,992,212,107
3,598,593,260 investment for fund 2,561,233,616
1,220,015,784
fund loans 251,875,500
13,249,303,639
KRW producers 1,000,041,816 investment for ‘Cluster’ 1,437,978,491 ‘Cluster’ loans 968,140,284
2009 7,788,047,132 6,999,704,784 5,771,759,242
28,043,240,053 members 6,526,208,645 investment for fund 3,174,853,709 fund loans 672,618,437
KRW producers 1,261,838,487 investment for ‘Cluster’ 3,824,851,075 ‘Cluster’ loans 5,099,140,805
2010 9,222,866,973 11,787,637,042 16,058,941,550
43,901,102,524 members 7,991,461,824 investment for fund 5,506,239,875 fund loans 4,927,416,939
KRW producers 1,231,405,149 investment for ‘Cluster’ 6,281,397,167 ‘Cluster’ loans 11,131,524,611
※ as of Dec. 2010 (unit:KRW)
28
www.icoop.or.kr