We paid a short visit to the Daegu Joong Ang, a wholesale fruit and vegetable market in the town center.  Rotary District Governor Lee Yong Woo (Mr. Yee to us) is the president, and also chairs the Korea Agriculture & Marine, a wholesale market association.  Korea imports mainly from California, Australia, and the Phillipines.  We asked about pineapple from Hawaii but Mr. Yee said Filipino pineapples were much better!

 

While it is a 24-hour operation, the main event at the market is a wholesale auction at 6 a.m.  (We didn’t make that.) The market employs 70 Koreans (no foreign workers).  After a labor dispute three years ago, the union was disbanded.  

 

The suppliers are farm co-ops.  Virtually all of the produce is sold within three days after it comes to market.  Much of it ends up in the hands of street vendors and small shops.  We have seen very little in the way of large or chain supermarkets here.