‘MOF to Build Advanced Infrastructure Proactively to Brace for Future Demand’

Minister Moon Seong-hyeok of the Ministry of Oceans & Fisheries (MOF). (Photos: MOF)

Minister Moon Seong-hyeok of the Ministry of Oceans & Fisheries (MOF) said, “MOF will raise the international competitiveness of the maritime and port industries and build advanced port infrastructure proactively to brace for future demand.”

In his New Year’s message, Minister Moon said, “The government will support shipping companies’ to newly build ships and management innovation to expand their national flag-carrier fleets, and introduce a ship tax lease system like advanced maritime nations to boost investments to newly building ships.”

Minister Moon said his ministry plans to inaugurate the integrated port service and expand support for the port service industry, such as supplying ship articles and ship repair services to raise their international competitiveness.

MOF plans to implement projects to expand futuristic port infrastructure, including fully automating Gwangyang Port and developing Busan Port and Jinhae New Port to “Korean-type smart mega-ports.”

Minister Moon Seong-hyeok of the Ministry of Oceans & Fisheries (MOF) exchanges New Year’s greetings in a hook-up with people with the Antarctic King Sejong Station and Antarctic Jang Bogo Station at the ministry’s situation room on Jan. 3.

MOF Budget Set at 6,417.1 Billion Won, Up 4.1 Percent Year-on-Year

The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF) said on Dec. 3 its budget for 2022 has been set at 6,417.1 billion won, up 4.1 percent over last year’s budget of 6,162.8 billion won.

The budget increased 80.6 billion won from the government’s proposal of 6,336.5 billion won during a parliamentary deliberation. The rise was attributable to the importance of roles of the oceans and fisheries sectors amidst a national crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The fishing and fishing village sector, as well as the marine and port sector received 2,833.7 billion won, a 6 percent increase, and 2,029 billion won, a 3.8 percent rise, respectively.

The marine environment got 307.2 billion won, an 11.7 percent surge.

The ministry’s R&D budget was set at 823.7 billion won, a 5.3 percent increase from this year’s budget of 782.5 billion won.

The ministry is accelerating efforts to preserve the environment to realize carbon neutrality by 2050. It will implement four projects to build halophyte habitats at mud flats to absorb greenhouse gas emissions.

The related budget has increased from 1.5 billion won to 3 billion won by adding two more projects.

MOF set aside 1.1 billion won for an R&D budget on the development of artificial structures made with eco-friendly materials designed to raise the attachment of marine plants.

MOF allocated 100 million won and 1.2 billion won each to make a feasibility study on the establishment of a center designed to manage Korean tidal flats, registered on UNESCO’s world heritage list, and conducting a study on the current status of the existing 129 sea woods habitats.

The ministry budgeted 3.6 billion won to launch a project to build a marine garden in Garolim Bay to preserve and manage the bay area with high marine ecological values and build a regional shared growth model coupled with ecological tourism.

MOF allocated 1.6 billion won to build a state-run marine species restoration center to preserve marine resources and promote diversity.

The ministry set aside 9.2 billion to build “e-Nav Disaster Restoration Center” to prevent the interruption of e-Nav, a marine navigation service, in the case of an emergency.

MOF raised its budget for renovating coastal waterfront areas to prevent coastal erosion and disasters from 59.3 billion won to 60.9 billion won.

The ministry plans to intensively foster a value-added marine product industry to ramp up the competitiveness of the fishing industry. It budgeted 2.1 billion won for the design of a project to build a marine product industry cluster whose feasibility study was approved on Nov. 26.

MOF allocated 1.1 billion won for the development of technologies by tenant companies of marine food industry complexes and raise their capabilities.