The South Korean Government, through the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF), recently unveiled a new five-year national agenda for the South Korean marine and fisheries sector.
The agenda covers various areas including Arctic shipping, maritime security, and fisheries.
Under Arctic shipping, proposals include: subsidies for the construction of new icebreaking vessels; strengthening of international cooperation on Arctic exploration programs; and development of ports for handling Arctic liquid cargo such as LNG and crude oil.
Under fisheries, the MOF is lobbying for: establishment of a stable supply base for fisheries products; revitalising the country's fishing villages; support for fishing vessel fleet modernisations, which also include disposing of older vessels; relocation of fish farms away from disaster-prone areas; and expansion of disaster insurance and coverage.
The agenda's maritime security proposals include: strengthening prevention of and response to maritime disasters; strengthening of monitoring of sovereign waters to curb instances of illegal fishing; enhanced safety management of local fishing vessels; and introduction of an eLoran terrestrial navigation system as a complement to GPS.
The MOF said it will now work towards implementation of the agenda by securing the necessary budget, crafting legislative measures, and consulting with the relevant ministries and agencies.
