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To promote full-scale national research and development and advancement of the Korean laver industry, which accounts for 70% of the global laver export market production, the establishment of the National Laver Industry Promotion Institute is being pursued.

Park Ji-won, a member of the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee (Democratic Party, Jeonnam Haenam·Wando·Jindo), officially proposed a partial amendment to the "Act on the Promotion and Support of the Laver Industry" (abbreviated as the Laver Industry Act) on the 26th to secure a super-gap export competitiveness in the laver industry.

Korea's laver industry has recorded rapid growth at an average annual rate of 8% over the past decade, holding an overwhelming first place in the global market share with 86.7%.

Member of the National Assembly Park Ji-won, a member of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee (Democratic Party, Jeonnam Haenam·Wando·Jindo)
[Photo by Yonhap News]

In particular, in 2023, the export value of laver surpassed 1 trillion won for the first time ever, leading the "K-food" industry and earning the nickname "semiconductor of the sea." This figure far exceeds that of ginseng, which had been a major export product with an average annual export value of about 375 billion won.

The current Act on the Promotion and Support of the Laver Industry was enacted in December 2021 to create added value in the laver industry and increase fishermen's income, but it did not provide the necessary legal basis for a research institute or promotion institute dedicated to research and development and promotion related to the laver industry.

Park Ji-won stated, "Although our laver industry is a new export powerhouse, it is facing a crisis due to the expansion of damage to laver farming caused by climate change and changes in aquaculture environments. It is necessary to firmly establish the status of the laver industry as one of the top ten national strategic resources by developing high-temperature tolerant and thermophilic laver varieties and land-based seedling technologies to respond to climate change such as rising water temperatures, which is why I proposed this bill."

He added, "During the enactment of the Laver Industry Act, there were discussions with the Ministry of Strategy and Finance regarding the Laver Industry Promotion Institute. Now, with conditions created such as the completion of the fisheries food industry cluster in Jeonnam Haenam in 2022, the need to establish the National Laver Industry Promotion Institute is greater than ever. We will also fully support securing the budget, including 200 million won for the basic research service for the establishment of the National Laver Industry Promotion Institute in 2025, which Jeonnam Province is promoting."

The amendment to the Laver Industry Act was jointly proposed by Park Ji-won along with Min Hyung-bae, Seo Young-kyo, Moon Jin-seok, Jeon Hyun-hee, Park Gyun-taek, Jang Cheol-min, So Byung-hoon, Park Seon-won, Kim Gyo-heung, Park Ji-hye, Im Mi-ae, Kim Jun-hyuk, Heo Young, Han Min-su, Shin Jeong-hoon, Shin Young-dae, Jeong Jun-ho, Eo Gi-gu, and Moon Geum-ju.

Furthermore, Park Ji-won said, "Expansion of laver farming licenses is urgently needed to support the rising trend of K-seafood," adding, "With full support from the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, we will focus on developing new aquaculture farms to actively respond to concerns about production decreases due to climate change."

Jindo = Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Oh Seung-geun just8440@asiae.co.kr