Climate Change Drives Korea to Overhaul Fisheries and Shipping Policies (Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons/CCL)
BUSAN & SEOUL, Dec. 24 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s oceans ministry said on Tuesday that it would begin preparing trial voyages along the Arctic shipping route next year, positioning the country to take advantage of new maritime pathways opening as climate change reshapes global trade and fishing conditions.
At a presidential policy briefing in Busan, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries outlined a sweeping agenda that also includes restructuring the nation’s fishing industry, expanding seafood exports and tightening penalties on illegal Chinese fishing.
Under the plan, the ministry will seek a South Korean shipping company capable of operating a 3,000-TEU container vessel on a pilot route from Busan to Rotterdam via the Arctic. To support polar navigation, the government will offer subsidies of up to 11 billion won ($8.2 million) for the construction of icebreaking vessels, along with reductions in port usage fees. By 2030, officials aim to develop domestic icebreaking container ship technology and train specialized polar-sea mariners.
The ministry also plans to unveil a “marine capital region” strategy in the southeastern part of the country in the first half of next year, concentrating administrative, legal, financial and corporate infrastructure to create a maritime hub centered on Busan.
Climate change-driven shifts in fish stocks are prompting a major overhaul of fisheries policy. The government said it would accelerate the retirement of fishing vessels, reviewing plans to cut the coastal fleet by as much as 40 percent over five years, while modernizing remaining vessels and offering re-employment support to retiring fishermen. Aquaculture, meanwhile, will be expanded through larger-scale, technology-driven operations, with new farming zones designated in offshore and eastern waters.
To modernize seafood distribution, the ministry said it would introduce an onboard auction system using artificial intelligence to enable fish to be sold immediately after being caught. Officials also pledged to boost seafood exports, building on strong demand for Korean laver, or gim, which accounts for 72 percent of global trade volume. Gim exports are expected to exceed $1.1 billion this year, with a broader goal of lifting total seafood exports to $4 billion by 2030.
The government also signaled a tougher stance on illegal fishing by Chinese vessels, raising the maximum fine to 1 billion won from 300 million won and shifting enforcement from expulsion to seizure, followed by transfer to Chinese authorities for additional punishment.
The initiatives reflect the Democratic Party–led government’s effort to reposition South Korea’s maritime and fisheries sectors for a warming climate and intensifying competition, while preparing for the country’s role as host of the fourth United Nations Ocean Conference in 2028.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
