South America, particularly the Southern Cone region, which includes Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay, serves as a global hub for soybean production, accounting for more than 56% of global supply. However, this region experiences recurrent and severe drought risks driven by climate variability associated with the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), resulting in significant economic losses. Consequently, biotechnology- based drought-tolerant soybean breeding has emerged as a critical national strategy across these countries. Argentina has positioned itself as a primary technology originator with the development of the HB4 soybean, the world’s first commercial drought-tolerant trait, utilizing the sunflower-derived transcription factor HaHB4. Brazil is advancing beyond single-trait approaches by developing multistacked biotech varieties that integrate drought tolerance with herbicide resistance, insect resistance, and oxidative stress mitigation. Furthermore, Paraguay and Uruguay are rapidly emerging as international hubs for field testing and commercialization, supported by streamlined regulatory frameworks and a “dual-track” strategy for both genetically modified (GM) and genome-edited (GE) crops. This review integrates molecular strategies, national regulatory systems, and commercialization trends in South America and discusses strategic implications for Korea. Despite Korea’s limited domestic experience in large-scale commercial cultivation owing to regulatory constraints, it possesses internationally competitive expertise in transcription factor engineering, CRISPR-based precision breeding, and AI-driven stress phenotyping. We propose a strategic technology export model that leverages Korea’s advanced R&D capabilities as a “technology provider” and “joint developer,” in partnership with South American countries. Such collaborations can foster a climate-resilient agricultural ecosystem and secure Korea’s position in the global biotech seed market.

Abstract‘Daegwang’ was developed in a potato breeding program at the Highland Agriculture Research Institute, National Institute of Crop Science, Rural Development Administration, South Korea. It was selected from the hybrid ‘Haryeong’בP03404-1’ from 2007. In 2011-2012, the major agronomic characteristics of this variety were evaluated in Gangneung for spring cultivation and Pyeongchang for summer cultivation as clone number ‘P07917-4’. ‘P07917-4’ was renamed as ‘Daegwan 1-127’, and regional yield trials for this clone were conducted in Cheongju, Naju, Gangneung, and Pyeongchang in 2013-2015. This cultivar was registered as ‘Daegwang’, based on its key agronomic characteristics, including drought tolerance, late blight resistant, and high yield. It has medium maturity and a semi-erect growth habit. ‘Daegwang’ has a round to short oval tuber shape, shallow eye-depth, yellow skin color, and white flesh color. Its leaf color is green, and its white flowers bloom abundantly. This cultivar is resistant to potato late blight but susceptible to potato common scab. The incidences of hollow heart and internal brown spot were low. However, the frequency of tuber cracking was high, at about 6.0% in summer cultivation in Pyeongchang. In the regional yield trials, ‘Daegwang’ had an average tuber yield of 34.1 ton/ha, which was 6.2% higher than that of ‘Sumi’, and its dry matter content was 16.8%. Boiled ‘Daegwang’ tubers have a viscous-floury texture and a pleasant taste. ‘Daegwang’ is expected to be produced as a table potato. (Registration No. 7664).

Water use efficiency (WUE) is considered as an important characteristics of drought tolerance in crop plant. This study was carried out for determination of WUE of 29 Korean soybean cultivars including PI416937, a representative drought tolerant cultivar in USA, under two different soil water contents, the sustaining 50% of maximum field capacity on control and 25% on drought treatment for 14 days at the late of vegetative growth stage. The WUE of whole plant (g/L) was determined using the measurement of the amount of water use (mL/day/plant), dry weight (g/plant), and relative growth rate (RGR) at 14 days after treatment (DAT). The mean amount of water use of 30 soybeans was 183 and 64 mL/plant/day at control and treatment, respectively, which was decreased 63% of water use under 25% of maximum field capacity. The mean dry weight of 30 soybeans of treatment was decreased 37% compared with that of control. The amount of water use of 30 soybeans was highly correlated with dry weight at 14 DAT, while it was weak correlated with RGR of treatment and not correlated with WUE. The WUE was highly correlated with RGR at control and treatment. The mean WUE of 30 soybean was 2.1 and 2.9g/L at control and treatment, respectively. It means that WUE is increased under drought condition and is the variable characteristics depend on soil water content. The WUE of PI416937 was 3.5g/L at treatment. This study suggested WUEs of 29 Korean soybean cultivars and that the higher WUE Korean cultivars than PI416937 were 3 cultivars, Daepoong (3.8g/L), Danbeak (4.0g/L), and Keumkang (3.8g/L).