[Exclusive] "After Kim, Oysters"... Comprehensive 'K-Gul' Measures to Be Announced

The government is preparing a comprehensive support plan to significantly increase oyster production and exports, following its major export item, Gim (seaweed). The plan aims to expand the cultivation of ‘individual oysters’ (gaechegul), which are considered high-value gourmet ingredients in Europe, and develop them into a key export item.

According to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries on the 21st, the government is discussing specific measures to prepare a comprehensive support plan to expand oyster production and exports. The ministry plans to focus on enhancing the added value of oysters, following Gim, to substantially increase export volume and value. A ministry official stated, “We are comprehensively reviewing ways to expand oyster exports, which are regarded as high-value and expensive foods in the global market.”

In particular, the ministry is focusing on expanding the production of ‘individual oysters.’ Various measures are being considered to significantly increase the cultivation of individual oysters, which are recognized as premium ingredients in Europe. Unlike ‘egg oysters’ (algul), which are sold after removing the shells and gathering the eggs, individual oysters are grown from seed as separate individuals and sold with their shells intact.

The government is preparing a comprehensive support plan to expand the cultivation of 'individual oysters,' considered high-value-added premium ingredients in Europe, and to develop them into major export items. Photo by Getty Images

In Korea, egg oysters, which are mixed into various dishes, are mainly consumed, leading to oysters being perceived as inexpensive ingredients. However, in Europe, individual oysters with large eggs are regarded as premium ingredients, with specialized restaurants preparing them as separate dishes, resulting in higher added value. A ministry official explained, “Korea already ranks third or fourth globally as an oyster exporter. Although oysters are perceived as inexpensive food here, if we significantly increase the cultivation of individual oysters consumed as premium ingredients in Europe, we can receive higher prices per oyster and thus expand export scale.”

Oysters are one of Korea’s key export items. According to the Agricultural and Food Export Information, approximately 310,000 tons of farmed oysters were produced last year, with export revenue reaching 85.96 million USD. Export values have steadily grown from 80.07 million USD in 2021 and 79.59 million USD in 2022. Oysters are considered a major export item following Gim, which achieved 1 trillion KRW (790 million USD) in exports last year, and tuna (563.1 million USD).

The ministry is focusing on expanding government funding support for existing oyster farmers who switch to individual oyster farming. Since individual oysters are larger than egg oysters, fewer are produced per unit area. Due to the relatively high initial capital investment required, government support is deemed necessary to expand cultivation. Currently, government funding for individual oyster farms is about 1 billion KRW per site, with only two farms receiving support.

Additionally, the ministry is preparing hygiene measures to prevent virus outbreaks during the oyster export process. It also plans to establish systematic management by creating statistics for individual oysters, which have not been separately tracked, making it difficult to estimate production and export volumes.

Meanwhile, on the 13th, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries announced in its ‘Major Achievements and Future Plans in the Marine and Fisheries Sector’ at the midpoint of the Yoon Seok-yeol administration that it aims to develop the fisheries industry into a 5 trillion KRW export industry by 2027. For Gim, a major export item, the ministry plans to support scaling and high added value to achieve export revenue of 1 billion USD (1.4068 trillion KRW) during the same period. Jeon Jae-woo, Director of Planning and Coordination at the ministry, said, “Along with traditionally high-export items like Gim and tuna, we will focus on increasing exports of aquaculture items such as oysters, flatfish, and abalone, whose production can be controlled.”