The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF) announced that it held the 31st Ocean Day Ceremony at Korea Maritime and Ocean University in Yeongdo-gu, Busan, under the theme “From Busan to the World, From the Sea to the Future” on May 27.
Approximately 400 people attended the ceremony including Minister of Oceans and Fisheries Hwang Jong-woo, officials from the Korean Navy and the Korea Coast Guard, representatives of the Korean marine and fisheries industries and organizations, heads of marine-related public institutions, Korea Maritime and Ocean University students, and marine and fisheries workers.
During the ceremony, a presentation was made on the theme “Directions for Fostering a Southern Marine Capital Region to Empower Youth and the Region” and an awards ceremony was held to present medals, decorations and commendations to those who contributed to the development of Korea’s marine and fisheries sector.
“I hope that Ocean Day serves as an opportunity for all Korean people to reflect once again on the value and importance of oceans,” Minister Hwang said at the event.
“The MOF will continue to spare no policy support so that future generations will be able to find new growth possibilities in the ocean.”
On this day, Hwang Byeong-ho, CEO of HS Aquafeed Co., received the Industrial Medal for his contribution to the development of the Korean aquaculture industry.
Hwang was recognized for promoting the substitution of feed raw materials for imported ones and stabilizing the supply chain through the development of high-quality fish meals utilizing fishery by-products and the expansion of exports.
In addition, the MOF announced that it attended the 11th Our Ocean Conference held in Mombasa, Kenya from June 16 to 18.
During the event, the Ministry strengthened international cooperation on key maritime issues such as marine finance, the marine environment, and sustainable fisheries, and expanded the foundation for international cooperation to ensure the successful hosting of the 4th UN Ocean Conference.
The Our Ocean Conference is a representative international ocean conference where governments, international organizations, academia, civil society, and the private sector come together to discuss specific commitments and cooperation measures for the protection and sustainable use of oceans.
Korea successfully hosted the 10th Our Ocean Conference in Busan in April 2025 and is leading the international community’s ocean agenda as the host country for the 4th UN Ocean Conference to be held in 2028.
Minister Hwang Jong-woo (fourth from right) poses for a photo with other participants after signing an MOU for the establishment of a green hydrogen grid at Korea’s Antarctic science bases.(Photos: MOF)
Cooperation with Hyundai Motor Group and Korea Polar Research Institute
The MOF announced that it signed a memorandum of understanding for the establishment of a green hydrogen grid at Korea’s Antarctic science bases with Hyundai Motor Group and the Korea Polar Research Institute on June 18.
The signing ceremony was attended by Minister Hwang Jong-woo, Sung Kim, who is the president of strategic planning at Hyundai Motor Group, and Shin Hyung-chul, director of the Korea Polar Research Institute.
Currently, solar power generation facilities are installed at the Antarctic science bases, but the bases mainly use electric power from diesel power generation because the amount of sunlight is inconsistent.
In particular, during the Antarctic winter (March to October), when the sun shines for a short time, the amount of sunlight is very low, making solar power generation even more difficult.
If a green hydrogen grid, which incorporates Hyundai Motor Group’s technology and experience, is established at the Antarctic bases through this MOU, experts expect that hydrogen can be produced and stored using surplus electricity generated from solar power generation during normal times, and hydrogen generators can be operated during winter to obtain energy.
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