Vice Minister Yoon Hag-bae of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF) explains the MOF’s policies and the Oceans and Fisheries Science & Technology Fair 2016 being held at BEXCO in Busan from Nov. 24 to 26.  (Photo: MOF)

"The government aims to secure 50 science technologies in the oceans and fisheries industries, firsts in the world, to become a global top-five marine and fisheries power by 2030,” said Vice Minister Yoon Hag-bae of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF). 

To this end, he said the MOF plans to foster 20 world-class companies through innovative R&D investments equivalent to the level of advanced countries. The following are excerpts of a written interview in which he spoke of the MOF’s policies and the hosting of the Oceans and Fisheries Science & Technology Fair 2016 being held at BEXCO in Busan from Nov. 24 to 26. 

Question: Will you tell our readers about the significance and expected benefits of the Oceans and Fisheries Science & Technology Fair 2016?

Answer: This event is designed to concentrate the MOF’s capabilities to nurture the new oceans and fisheries industries that will drive our national economic growth by creating added value and jobs, and inspiring public awareness. 

We expect this event to expedite public consensus, which is essential for the successful implementation of the ongoing strategies to boost R&D for the industrialization of the ocean and fisheries industries, which was established in June 2016. 

This fair will display successful R&D outcomes in the ocean and fisheries industries to help them commercialize. A session will be held to attract investments to provide full-cycle, corporate support services ranging from technology transfer to commercialization. We expect this to create a virtuous cycle in which companies can attract investments and succeed in commercialization.

Q: Will you elaborate on major participating institutions and joint work among research institutes?

A: Now that this fair targets the expansion of transferring oceans and fisheries technology R&D outcomes and commercialization, we strive to match participating companies and research institutes for effective investments by hosting a session to attract investments. A consultative body for technology commercialization in the ocean and fisheries sectors, which consists of experts from related organizations, will be inaugurated to build a regime to provide integrated support to SMEs and mid-size superstars. 

The Korea Institute of Marine Science & Technology Promotion (KIMST) and the National Institute of Fisheries Science (NIFS) are in charge of exploring technologies, while the Korea Technology Finance Corp. (Kibo) and the Korea Invention Promotion Association (KIPA) are charged with technology evaluation and financing. 

The Korea Intellectual Property Strategy Agency (KISTA) provides intellectual property R&D support, while the Korea Conformity Laboratories (KCL) and Korea Testing & Research Institute (KTR) offer support for testing and certification, respectively. 

Industry, academia and research circles are united in offering diverse support services to marine and fisheries companies, and they will expand their scope to such areas as technology investment, management consulting and overseas market entry.  

Q: Will you reveal the outcomes of ocean and fisheries R&D?

A: Of late, the Isabu-ho, an oceanographic research vessel ship, was launched. The ship, dubbed “a floating research institute,” has been built with homegrown design and construction technology, demonstrating Korea's capability as a shipbuilding powerhouse to the world. The fact that Korea has become the 8th country in the world to own a survey ship means that the nation has secured a global competitiveness as a marine country.

In 2014, the MOF launched a project to culture pollack, which is in danger of exhaustion of resources due to excessive overfishing, in cooperation with the Gangwondo provincial government and Wonju University in Gangneung. 

The nation's successful culturing of pollack, the first time in the world, two years after the project was launched in October 2014, will be displayed.

A product prototype being developed under the research task on low-carbon automation container terminal technology development is on display. It is the world's first next-generation container port system designed to raise productivity 50 recent compared to conventional ports, and to make it carbon-free and autonomous.

Q: Will you explain the government's vision of ushering in a so-called “marine renaissance” with marine and fisheries technologies?

A: The government aims to secure the 50 “world first” technologies in the oceans and fisheries industries to become a global top-five marine and fisheries power by 2030. 

To this end, the MOF plans to foster 20 world-class companies through innovative R&D investments equivalent to the levels of advanced countries. 

Korea, making the most of the nation’s advanced ICT and communications technologies, will make deep-sea communications seamless and Korean manned probes will explore the deepest places in the sea using advanced equipment while accelerating efforts to develop the oceans. 

Robots will be made available for risky marine activities instead of human beings so that marine and deep-sea space will become part of daily life spaces. 

Korea plans to expand its marine economic sphere through precision exploration using advanced equipment to unlock a treasure trove of limitless resources. Along those lines, hydrate from deep-sea areas will light our nights, while lithium, a raw material of the battery, will be supplied from seawater. 

Such marine energies as tidal and sea wind power will be made available for the general public’s daily life use, while the world’s foremost marine energy storage technology will be secured. 

Lastly, living oceans and fish resources will be managed in a more systematic fashion so that they can lead a bio industry. The move will likely lead to the development of functional items based on living oceans and fish resources and the utilization of value-added products in the pharmaceutical and nano-tech industries. 

I think the days are not far away when eco-friendly marine bio fuel, being extracted from living marine and fish resources, can be used for ships and trucks. 

Q: Will you give specifics of a plan to form a network among industry, academia and research circles?

A: This fair will include an experts’ program on industrialization for companies and researchers in the oceans and fisheries sectors. First of all, the Oceans and Fisheries Science and Technology Business Forum will take place to offer information and panel discussions on the fourth oceans and fishers industry. 

The 2017 Oceans & Fisheries R&D Business Explanation Session and a researchers’ consultative meeting will be held to help researchers or those who want to participate in oceans & fisheries R&D tasks share information and collect diverse views. 

On the first day of the Oceans and Fisheries Science & Technology Fair 2016, a business reception will take place to hold an awards ceremony for participating institutions, while a networking program among participating institutions will be held.

Q: Will you touch upon a plan to provide industry support for technology commercialization in the oceans and fisheries industries?

A: During this time, the MOF will operate a program to provide support to SMEs in the new ocean and fisheries industries the ministry has developed through strategic MOUs with related organizations. 

We’re going to discuss a program to designate SME leaders in promising new industries and support them to facilitate the efficient utilization of the promising industries and commercialization by sharing information on up-and-running new technologies, companies and manpower. 

Q: Will you tell us about side events of the fair, including conferences and an investment attraction session? 

A: This fair will highlight the excellent technologies and products oceans and fisheries companies own, including the successful R&D outcomes in the ocean and fisheries industries. 

Prominent award winners of an idea contest, hosted by the KIMST, and the marine & fisheries information system OFRIS will be demonstrated. A session will be held to transfer technologies, explored by the KIMST, and state-owned intellectual property trusted to the KIPA and those developed by KIAT in cooperation with the Busan Technopark.

The fair will also coincide with a ceremony to inaugurate a consultative body for technology commercialization in the oceans and fisheries sectors, a standing committee meeting of the pan-ministry technology commercialization consultative body of the KIAT and a signing ceremony of an MOU between the KIMST and KTL to facilitate technology transfer and commercialization.

On Nov. 24 on the first day of the investment attraction explanation session, MOF officials, marine and fisheries start-ups and private investment officials will assemble for investor relations sessions, management consulting and business meetings. 

The seminar on investment attraction on the same day will be an opportunity to take a look at the 2016 status of the marine and fisheries industries and the future outlooks of the new industries, as well as lectures on the defending of management rights of successful corporate investors and legal information, including ones on international trade and intellectual property disputes. General public spectators will also be given a chance to experience events designed to help people get a better understanding of marine and fisheries science and technology.