Wando-gun Prepares Future Food Sources Through Marine Bioindustry

Establishment of Marine Bio Joint Research Institute and Infrastructure Development

Aerial view of the Marine Bio Joint Research Institute (Photo by Wando County)

[Wando=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Kyung-pil] Wando-gun, Jeollanam-do is accelerating efforts to stably promote the "marine bioindustry," a future food industry for the next 100 years, as a pledge of the 8th local government administration, including "attracting marine bio company research institutes and startups" and "establishing a supply base for marine bio material industry."

The marine bioindustry is an industry that produces various high value-added products such as health functional foods, pharmaceutical materials, and cosmetic raw materials by applying biotechnology to marine organisms including seaweed.

Wando-gun is investing 22 billion KRW to foster the marine bioindustry specialized in seaweed by constructing the "Marine Bio Joint Cooperation Research Institute," which will house 10 corporate research institutes and 30 startups, aiming for normal operation by June next year.

The research institute will provide spaces for marine bio material and prototype development, including shared laboratories, research rooms, and conference rooms.

In July, the county held a briefing session for 30 companies wishing to move into the joint cooperation research institute, and in October, together with Jeollanam-do, held an investment attraction briefing for bio companies to emphasize the strengths of Wando’s marine bioindustry. In August, it was selected for the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport’s "Job-linked Support Housing Construction" contest project, which is expected to improve the living conditions for researchers at the joint cooperation research institute.

To stably promote the marine bioindustry, it is essential to build related facilities for securing raw materials, mass production, and advanced processing.

To establish a supply base for the marine bio material industry, the "Seaweed Active Material Certification and Production Facility" is currently being designed, and the "Seaweed Bio Smart Farm" is planned for construction.

The "Seaweed Active Material Certification and Production Facility" is a facility that extracts functional substances from seaweed to supply bio raw materials. With an investment of 25 billion KRW, it will be equipped with pretreatment facilities such as seaweed desalination and heavy metal removal, as well as production and quality control facilities. The detailed design service is currently underway, with completion targeted for December 2024.

The "Seaweed Bio Smart Farm" is a facility that produces high-functionality seaweed year-round, overcoming seasonal limitations such as water temperature fluctuations due to seasonal changes. It is planned to be established within the Sinji-myeon Marine Bio Research Complex with a project cost of 20 billion KRW.

Additionally, by August 2023, a service for selecting cultivable species, economic feasibility analysis, and facility operation plans will be completed, and the project will be promoted through national budget proposals in 2024.

Once the marine bioindustry infrastructure is completed, an integrated system for mass production of materials, raw material supply, and product development is expected to be established.

Shin Woo-cheol, Wando County Governor, stated, "Marine bioindustry has unlimited development potential as it aligns with the recently emerging eco-friendly and sustainable industries," and added, "We will do our best to create many jobs and income through the marine bioindustry so that it can become the food industry for the next 100 years of our county."

Wando=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Kyung-pil alwatros@asiae.co.kr