Conversely, the Korea Rural Economic Institute (KREI) expects the total production of agricultural industries to decrease by 1.1% in 2012.

[citation needed] On 2 March 2012, the NACF restructured its operations, establishing financial and marketing holding companies through the revised Agricultural Cooperative Law and a resolution of the board of directors on 2 February 2012.

The banking unit serves as an intermediary and facilitator, providing loan and deposit services for member cooperatives and engaging in other incidental businesses.

The objective of the financial holding company and its subsidiaries is to secure the funds and revenues necessary for the intrinsic activities of the NACF, and to provide differentiated banking services to its customers.

In 2013, Rep. Bae Ki-woon (Minjoo) and monthly news magazine Sisa IN exposed NACF's unethical business practice of paying newspapers and other media outlets to run promo articles.

[3] An NACF public relations employee, who requested anonymity, told The Korea Observer that it has paid media outlets in exchange for articles that promote the cooperative and its policies.