Supply of Seaweed-Specialized Raw Materials, Certification of SME Products, and Support for Overseas Expansion
Overseas seaweed experts are visiting the Wando seaweed farm to examine sea mustard and kelp. (Photo by Wando-gun)
[Wando＝Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Kyung-pil] Wando-gun, Jeollanam-do (Governor Shin Woo-cheol) announced on the 30th that it is accelerating the establishment of a marine bio-industry base as the largest seaweed production area in Korea.
The marine bio-industry is an industry that produces pharmaceuticals, health functional foods, and more by combining marine resources with biotechnology. Among various marine resources, Wando-gun is specializing in seaweed.
In January, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries announced the preparation of a "Global Marine Bio Market Preemption Strategy" to develop the southern sea area into a supply base by establishing marine bio material production facilities.
Wando-gun is investing a total of 25 billion KRW over three years to promote the "Seaweed Active Material Production Facility Construction" project.
This project aims to resolve difficulties faced by marine bio companies in supplying raw materials related to seaweed and to establish a supply system for raw materials for high value-added marine bio products such as functional cosmetics.
The production facility includes desalination and heavy metal removal pretreatment processes, HACCP, functional raw material production facilities (GMP certified), and quality control facilities. Conceptual design is underway, and related administrative procedures are in progress.
Additionally, projects such as the "Seaweed-based Bio Healthcare Efficacy Material Demonstration Support" with a budget of 15 billion KRW and the "Biomedical R&D-based Global Expansion Support" with 9 billion KRW were selected in this year's public offering and are currently being promoted.
Meanwhile, since 2019, the county has been promoting a plan to establish a marine bio research complex worth 11 billion KRW to foster the marine bio-industry.
The marine bio research complex will facilitate joint collaborative research and development between domestic and international research institutions and companies, and attract startups to develop various products using seaweed.
The main contents of the joint collaborative research include diverse topics such as "Commercialization research on dementia prevention using Hizikia fusiformis extract" and "Development of animal feed based on natural products derived from brown algae with anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and immune-enhancing effects."
In particular, recent research results have shown that seaweed extracts and abalone viscera have inhibitory effects on the penetration of the COVID-19 virus, drawing attention to related product development.
If each foundational project is steadily prepared, the demand for seaweed is expected to increase sharply.
Botamedi Co., Ltd., which signed a business agreement with Wando-gun in August last year, estimates an annual demand of 250,000 tons of Gamtae, the raw material for the marine natural new material Cinol, by 2025. Accordingly, the county has started pilot cultivation of Gamtae.
Furthermore, for the purpose of inter-Korean exchange and cooperation projects, seaweed farming technology will be transferred and disseminated to the North, and the South will receive raw materials from the North to promote marine bio product projects. Data surveys and project planning are underway.
The marine bio-industry specializing in seaweed is expected to contribute to increasing fishermen's income, fostering marine bio companies, and greatly supporting the fisheries industry, which is the foundation of Wando's economic development.
Wando＝Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Kyung-pil ckp6737@asiae.co.kr
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