From tangerines to olives: How climate change is reshaping Jeju agriculture
SEOGWIPO, Jeju Island — Beneath the iconic slopes of Mount Halla, Jeju’s orchards are starting to look a little different. Tangerines still dominate the island’s fields, but now olive trees, with their silver-green leaves and Mediterranean flair, are taking root, reshaping the island’s agricultural identity as it gets warmer and drier. In the beginning of September, clusters of light green olives — some already darkening — dangled from trees that swayed gently in the wind, ahead of their harvest. Seom Olive, an olive farm run by Kim Gil-young, focuses on breeding and preserving olives. Kim, one of Korea’s olive pioneers, sees potential for wider cultivation. “Jeju’s climate is definitely changing, and it’s becoming favorable for olive trees,” he told The Korea Times. According to Kim, the island’s May and June — a critical period for pollination of olive trees — are getting drier in recent years. “The fact that it’s dry when pollination takes place is an advantage for olive trees,” he said. He explained that unlike other plants, olive trees rely only on w
Sep 18, 2025By Kim Se-jeong
