Firmly Establishing Its Status as the Nation's Largest Kimchi Production Area
The production volume of laver from Goheung-gun, Jeollanam-do in 2022 reached 140,000 tons, accounting for 27% of the national production, ranking first in the country.
Dried laver production also achieved first place nationwide with 27,164 thousand sheets, representing 18% of the national total, drawing attention as the largest laver production area in Korea.
Accordingly, Goheung-gun is making every effort to designate a ‘Laver Industry Promotion Zone’ to firmly establish its status as a major laver production area, foster a sustainable laver industry, and globalize Goheung laver.
The production of water laver in Goheung-gun for the year 2022 reached 140,000 tons, accounting for 27% of the national production, ranking first in the country. Dried laver production also achieved first place with 27,164 thousand sheets, representing 18% of the national total, highlighting Goheung-gun as the largest laver production area in Korea. Photo by Goheung-gun
The ‘Laver Industry Promotion Zone’ designation is a project that selects regions where it is necessary to create growth conditions for laver promotion, supporting hygiene, safety assurance, and quality improvement. The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries plans to designate three promotion zones first this year, investing 5 billion KRW per location and a total project cost of 15 billion KRW.
In line with this, Goheung-gun submitted an application and preliminary selection plan to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries on the 14th.
Through the designation of the Laver Industry Promotion Zone, Goheung-gun plans to improve the existing industrial structure, which was focused on production and primary processing, by significantly enhancing food processing and export capabilities to realize high added value for Goheung laver.
Specifically, the dried laver inspection center and cold distribution center (total project cost of 5.9 billion KRW), completed on the 14th, will be developed into a wide-area hub quality inspection center by establishing a grading evaluation facility that meets international standards and infrastructure for laver food distribution and storage. They also plan to implement quality inspections and a self-grading system for laver processed foods.
Additionally, as a pledge of the 8th local government administration, they plan to establish and operate a laver industry research institute to create a sustainable raw laver production base. Furthermore, they aim to greatly improve the overall laver industry structure and build a high value-added industrial base by manufacturing higher-processed foods such as snacks.
Along with this, to expand the export market for Goheung laver and enhance brand awareness in the global market, they will strategically support the production and marketing of laver processed foods that meet export food standards through export brand development, eco-friendly certification support, export company consulting, and participation in overseas food exhibitions.
A county official said, “Goheung-gun, the largest laver production area in the country, will do its best to lead the development of the domestic laver industry and establish global competitiveness through the introduction of a wide-area hub grading evaluation system and the creation of an export-specialized zone with this Laver Industry Promotion Zone designation.”
Meanwhile, in connection with the designation of the Laver Industry Promotion Zone, the county held a feasibility study and basic plan establishment service report meeting on the 26th of last month to create a regionally specialized seafood food complex of about 300,000 square meters for manufacturing and selling high value-added processed foods using seafood resources such as laver and seaweed produced locally.
The county plans to steadily explore ways to increase fishermen’s income and revitalize the local economy through administrative procedures necessary for the complex development and related project promotion.
Goheung = Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Shim Jeong-woo hss79@asiae.co.kr
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