Jeonnam Governor Kim Young-rok Holds Meeting with Fisheries Business Operators

Seeking Fisheries Development Plans Including the Promise of a '1000-Won Ferry for Island Residents'

[Muan=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] Kim Young-rok, Governor of Jeonnam Province, held an online and offline meeting with fisheries business operators on the 7th to listen to the difficulties faced in the fisheries field.

At this meeting, Governor Kim promised to implement various measures for the development of fisheries and fishing villages, including operating a 1,000 won passenger ferry for island residents.

According to Jeonnam Province on the 7th, 20 people attended the meeting, including Choi Dong-ik, Chairman of the Jeonnam Fisheries Business Operators Association, and chairmen of 15 city and county federations including Mokpo City. Additionally, 80 people such as heads and general affairs officers of each eup, myeon, and dong participated via video from nine branches of the Marine Fisheries Science Institute.

The meeting was also broadcast live on Jeonnam Province’s official YouTube channel, ‘Eutteum Jeonnam Tube,’ so that those in the fisheries and fishing village fields could watch.

The province explained this year’s marine and fisheries policies, including zero marine waste, establishment of three major orders in the fisheries sector, the 300 million dollar seaweed export project, expansion of the public-type direct payment system in fisheries, enrollment in disaster insurance and compliance with stocking reporting, support for young fishermen’s stable settlement, and interest differential support for fisheries policy funds, urging active cooperation from fisheries business operators.

Governor Kim said, “I deeply thank the more than 13,000 fisheries business operators who have steadfastly protected fisheries and fishing villages under difficult conditions such as COVID-19, leading the development of fisheries and the marine environment through activities like marine waste collection and promotion of seafood consumption. We will promote policies so that fishermen can lead stable lives in fishing villages and engage in profitable marine fisheries.”

Chairman Choi Dong-ik said, “We appreciate the inclusion of fishermen in the government’s 4th disaster relief fund support, as well as efforts to lower interest rates and defer repayments on policy funds. The marine waste zero project, which is being promoted as a core project of the provincial government, is showing visible effects, and fisheries business operators will take the lead and set an example in the field.”

On this day, fisheries business operators made 15 proposals, including actively negotiating to ensure no fishermen are marginalized in offshore wind power projects, minimizing fishing damage, and supporting the 1,000 won passenger ferry fare for island residents.

In response, Governor Kim said, “We will establish communication measures with cities, counties, project implementers, and fishermen to ensure that fishermen who actually suffer damage from offshore wind power are not marginalized. To improve transportation services for island residents, we will operate 1,000 won passenger ferries on 741 living sections (fares under 8,340 won) starting in the second half of this year.”

Jeonnam Province plans to carefully review the proposals from fisheries business operators and reflect them in policies or, if support from the central government is needed, submit them together with cities and counties.

Before the meeting, more than 13,000 fisheries business operators in Jeonnam Province strongly condemned the Japanese government’s decision to discharge contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant into the ocean and issued a resolution urging its withdrawal in April.