Latest news with #MinistryofOceansandFisheries
Korea Herald
5 hours ago
- Business
- Korea Herald
New oceans minister vows efforts to turn Busan into hub for maritime industry
The new oceans minister vowed Thursday to transform the southeastern city of Busan into the forefront of South Korea's maritime industry in the envisioned era of Arctic shipping routes. "With the relocation of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries to Busan, the government will bring together administrative, industrial and financial functions in the city to open a new frontier in maritime and fisheries while laying the foundation for a new leap forward of the sectors," Oceans Minister Chun Jae-soo said in his inaugural address. "The ministry's relocation to Busan will mark a turning point in our national strategy to equip South Korea with a new growth engine based on the ocean economy," he added. Chun said Busan, Korea's largest port city located about 325 kilometers southeast of Seoul, will serve as the strategic base of the country's maritime industry in light of the anticipated expansion of Arctic shipping routes. Arctic shipping routes refer to maritime passages through the Arctic Ocean that could potentially offer shorter and more efficient trade routes between Asia and Europe. The relocation plan was one of President Lee Jae Myung's key election campaign pledges aimed at developing Busan into a leading global maritime hub and dispersing the excessive concentration of economic assets in Seoul. (Yonhap)
Korea Herald
4 days ago
- Business
- Korea Herald
Why Korea is suddenly talking about Arctic shipping route
Northern shortcut promises speed, savings — but can it deliver? Amid intensifying climate shifts, geopolitical tensions and a scramble for new trade corridors, the Arctic shipping route is quickly emerging as a key term in South Korea's maritime strategy — touted as both a visionary opportunity and a logistical gamble. President Lee Jae Myung and the ruling Democratic Party of Korea have championed the once-remote Arctic passage as a pillar of Korea's long-term logistics agenda, positioning Busan at the forefront of this northbound shift in global shipping. Most recently, Oceans Minister nominee Chun Jae-soo cited the Arctic route as a key reason for relocating the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries to Busan, part of a broader plan to decentralize Seoul-centric functions and build a new growth engine in the southern port city. The Arctic route strategy involves positioning Busan as a key logistics hub for a northern shipping passage connecting East Asia to Europe via the Arctic Ocean, offering Korea's largest port city a potential breakthrough from industrial decline and population loss. Once blocked by thick sea ice and harsh conditions, the route is drawing attention as climate change and technology advances are expected to make commercial navigation viable within five to 10 years. Among several Arctic Ocean passages, Korea is primarily focusing on the Northern Sea Route. It runs along the Russian coastline from the Bering Strait in the North Pacific to the Barents Sea behind the Scandinavian Peninsula, bypassing traditional maritime choke points in Southeast Asia and the Suez Canal. According to the vision, the Arctic route could reduce the distance between Busan and Rotterdam in the Netherlands by about 7,000 kilometers, bringing it down to approximately 15,000 kilometers. In addition to bypassing geopolitical risks, piracy and congestion in major straits that have disrupted global logistics along traditional routes, it is expected to provide access to resource-rich development projects in Russia's Arctic region. Busan: From port city to polar hub? 'Busan is located at the optimal starting point of the Arctic route to Europe,' said Yang Chang-ho, executive vice president of the Korea Shipowners' Association, during a press conference in June. 'Consolidating cargo from China, Japan and Southeast Asia in Busan and forwarding it through the Arctic route is one of the most economically viable scenarios.' The idea is based on Busan's established status as the world's second-largest transshipment port, after Singapore, bolstered by its location at the crossroads of East Asia's industrial belt — South Korea, China and Japan. In 2024, about 13.5 million twenty-foot equivalent units, representing 55 percent of Busan's total freight volume, were transshipped through the port, making it a gateway connecting East Asian ports with distant destinations in Europe and North America. The port is also told to benefit from strong hinterland infrastructure, lying close to Korea's largest shipbuilding yards and petrochemical complexes. 'Despite concerns about Busan's limited bunker fuel storage capacity for long-haul routes, the city functions effectively due to its proximity to Ulsan's petrochemical complex,' said Choi Su-beom, secretary-general of the Korea Arctic Shipping Association. 'Ships already take on bunker fuel while unloading in Busan, so future eco-friendly fuel bases, such as those for ammonia, do not necessarily need to be located within the port itself.' Route still stuck in ice Currently, the route accounts for less than 1 percent of global maritime traffic, due in part to international sanctions imposed on Russia following the outbreak of its war in Ukraine in 2022. Even before sanctions, however, major European shippers such as Mediterranean Shipping Co., CMA CGM, Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd publicly ruled out using the route, citing environmental concerns related to icebreaking and extreme weather. Korean shippers also have shown limited interest. Hyundai Glovis and Pan Ocean tested the route in the 2010s, but activity stalled due to the high costs of ice-class vessels and the limited navigable seasons on the route. Limited transshipment hubs and harsh climatic conditions, which require enhanced cargo protection, are also seen as factors undermining the route's profitability. Han Jong-gil, a logistics professor at Sungkyul University, said, 'We must factor in costs for mandatory requirements under local regulations, such as icebreaker escorts and polar-certified pilots.' He estimated that the new route could increase costs by 5 to 30 percent compared to the traditional route. 'Additionally, since Russia controls the entire route, what can we do if the country blocks the passage there?' Han added. Polar race heating up Despite the uncertainty, international competition for the Arctic shipping route is gaining momentum, largely driven by China, which promotes it as the 'Polar Silk Road.' China's NewNew Shipping operates a container carrier service between Shanghai and Russia's northwestern city of Arkhangelsk, raising speculation that Shanghai aims to become a key hub for the northern route. Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a joint statement pledging to 'enhance mutually profitable cooperation on the Arctic shipping route," during Xi's visit to Moscow in May. Japan has scaled back its involvement in the route since the start of Russia's war in Ukraine in 2022, but continues to hold stakes in Arctic resource development, aligning with Russia's interest in partnering with foreign companies to tap into its Arctic resources. Earlier this month, a senior official from the Japanese government-backed Organization for Metals and Energy Security reaffirmed its intention to maintain a 10 percent stake in the Arctic LNG 2 project on Russia's Arctic coast, according to Russia's Tass news agency. The stake is jointly held with Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Japan's second-largest shipping company, despite years of sanctions on the project. Experts stress that coordination with the Russian government, now stalled due to sanctions, is essential for accessing the route, as navigability depends heavily on Russian policies. With such coordination difficult under current conditions, they also point to the need for Korea to nurture competitive shipping companies based in Busan that can secure sufficient cargo volume to sustain operations along the Northern Sea Route. "In terms of total volume — including imports, exports and transshipment — Shanghai far surpasses Busan, handling more than twice the amount," Choi added. forestjs@
Korea Herald
6 days ago
- Politics
- Korea Herald
Seoul finds no radiation risk in suspected North Korean discharge
South Korea said Friday it has not found any unusual levels of radioactivity or heavy metal concentrations at various sites near the inter-Korean border, which was suspected of being contaminated by a reported wastewater release from a North Korean uranium refining plant. Seoul's Unification Ministry confirmed in a press briefing that there 'were no abnormalities found' after running contamination tests for two radioactive nuclides -- uranium, cesium -- and five heavy metals -- cadmium, arsenic, mercury, lead and hexavalent chromium. The tests were conducted over the past two weeks at 10 sites near Ganghwa Island and the Han River estuary. Both Ganghwa Island and the Han River estuary are located near the Ryesong River in the North, where Pyongyang is suspected of dumping waste from a uranium refining plant in Pyongsan County. The tests were conducted jointly by the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and the Ministry of Environment. Uranium concentrations at six of the 10 locations near Ganghwa Island and Gimpo were found to be similar to levels recorded in 2019. They ranged from 0.135 to 1.993 parts per billion over the past two weeks, compared with 0.59 to 1.97 ppb in 2019. Uranium concentrations at the remaining four locations, including the Han River estuary and Incheon, were also at normal levels, ranging from 0.087 to 3.211 ppb. The average uranium concentration in the Han River stood at 0.31 ppb in 2019, while the maximum allowed uranium level in drinking water is 30 ppb. The level of cesium at all ten sites was below the threshold of minimum detectable activity, or MDA, which is the smallest amount of radioactivity that a measuring instrument or system can reliably detect above the background radiation level. It was also below the five-year average of cesium found in the West Sea. Chang Yoon-jeong, deputy spokesperson at the Unification Ministry, stressed, however, that the tests do not prove whether the North actually released uranium wastewater. The government plans to perform monthly monitoring of contamination levels at seven of the 10 major sites. The latest contamination test was launched in early July after a news report raised speculation that North Korea may have dumped wastewater from a uranium refining plant in Pyongsan County into a nearby river.
Korea Herald
27-06-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
Justice Ministry to add over 22,000 foreign seasonal workers in 2nd half
The South Korean government announced Friday plans to allocate some 22,700 foreign seasonal workers in the second half of this year, supporting rural farming and fishing communities experiencing labor shortages during the harvest season. The Ministry of Justice, which held a council meeting to review the allocation of overseas seasonal workers with the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries on Tuesday, announced it would assign 22,731 foreign workers to 100 local governments nationwide. The ministry stated that the decision reflects the urgent labor demands of farms and fisheries ahead of the upcoming harvest season. With the addition, a total of 95,700 foreign seasonal workers will be hired to work at South Korean farms or fisheries this year nationwide. Among them, 86,633 employees will work in agriculture, while 8,876 will be allocated to fisheries. Seoul has earlier announced plans to employ 72,684 of such workers in the first half. The 2025 figure for foreign seasonal workers represents a 41 percent increase compared to last year's 66,778. The government is also aiming to enhance language support services to minimize language barriers between foreign workers and local employers. Though the ministry previously assigned one interpreter when more than 100 workers with the same nationality were employed and up to two interpreters for more than 300, it decided to assign more interpreters for each language based on specific demand from the respective local governments. The measure was made to reduce misunderstandings and miscommunication, while improving work efficiency and the retention rate of workers.
Korea Herald
08-06-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
K-seafood exports stay afloat, but tariffs weigh on growth
Gim, or dried seaweed, drives US exports, but momentum weakens amid tariff hikes Korean seafood export growth slowed between January and April, burdened by US tariff pressures, with an uncertain outlook as added duties to stricter non-tariff measures loom. In the first four months of 2025, Korea exported $1.05 billion worth of seafood, a 3.7 percent increase from a year earlier, according to data from the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and the Korea Maritime Institute. Exports to the US, Korea's third-largest destination after Japan and China, also maintained growth, with shipments rising 6.7 percent to $186.6 million. Despite the uptick, however, this figure marks a slowdown compared to the 11.7 percent increase recorded during the same period in 2024. The main driver behind Korean seafood exports to the US was dried seaweed, or gim in Korean, long favored by American consumers as a snack and a staple in dishes like gimbap. Gim alone accounted for nearly 45 percent of all US-bound seafood exports last year, totaling more than $213 million. Yet minor cracks in the export momentum have begun to appear. While gim exports to the US surged 21.7 percent on-year to $57.95 million during the January–March period, growth slowed in April, the first month after a 10 percent baseline tariff took effect under the Trump administration. That month, shipments rose just 13.9 percent to $24.2 million. According to the ministry, other items, including flatfish, fish cakes and oysters, have also experienced slower growth in the wake of US tariffs. The dampened growth has added to industry concerns over an additional 15 percent tariff set to take effect on July 8. A recent report by the Korea Maritime Institute estimated that such a move could shrink Korea's annual seafood exports to the US by up to 3.65 percent. This contrasts sharply with the 12.7 percent annual growth recorded between 2020 and 2024. Beyond tariffs, non-tariff barriers could put K-seafood exports at risk. On April 17, President Donald Trump signed an executive order titled Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness, aimed at making the US the global seafood leader. 'Nearly 90 percent of seafood on our shelves is now imported, and the seafood trade deficit stands at over $20 billion,' the statement read. 'The erosion of American seafood competitiveness at the hands of unfair foreign trade practices must end.' The order includes provisions to investigate illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and to assess the presence of forced labor in foreign seafood supply chains, steps that could place Korean products under further regulatory scrutiny. In early April, the US Customs and Border Protection issued a Withhold Release Order against Taepyung Salt Farm in Sinan, South Jeolla Province, citing forced labor violations under 19 USC 1307. To ensure a prompt response to US trade and tariff issues, the oceans ministry launched an interagency task force in late April, focused on assessing the impact of tariffs and executive orders on seafood exports, while exploring strategies to diversify export markets. 'The US is a key export market for Korean seafood, particularly for gim, mainly exported as seasoned seaweed,' said Oceans Minister Kang Do-hyung. 'We will respond swiftly and proactively to trade issues in coordination with relevant ministries to minimize the disruption to the seafood industry.'
