Kim Won Calls for Establishment of Korea Gim Industry Promotion Corporation

Proposal of the Gim Industry Promotion Act Amendment
"A Control Tower for the Development of the Domestic Gim Industry"

Won Kim, Member of the National Assembly.

Kim Won, a member of the National Assembly from Mokpo representing the Democratic Party of Korea, announced on April 30 that he has submitted a bill to amend the Act on the Promotion and Support of the Gim (laver) Industry. The amendment provides the legal basis for establishing the Korea Gim Industry Promotion Corporation (tentative name), which would serve as a control tower for the domestic gim industry.

Korean gim has recently gained global popularity, achieving annual exports of 1 trillion won for two consecutive years since 2023 and establishing itself as a leading force in "K-Food." However, there have been persistent calls from the industry for the establishment of a dedicated national agency to promote the gim industry.

According to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, 82% of dried gim businesses currently operate with fewer than 10 full-time employees, making them small-scale and micro-enterprises. Due to this structure, these companies lack the capacity to invest in quality improvement and production automation.

There are also criticisms regarding insufficient development of gim seeds and new varieties to respond to climate change, including rising sea temperatures. In addition, the export market is heavily concentrated in the United States and Japan, highlighting the need for strategies to diversify and expand exports. The severe aging of the workforce in gim-producing regions and the importance of securing workers and training professionals have also been pointed out.

The proposed amendment stipulates that the Minister of Oceans and Fisheries shall establish the Korea Gim Industry Promotion Corporation (hereinafter referred to as the Gim Industry Corporation) to efficiently carry out tasks related to the promotion of the gim industry. The Gim Industry Corporation will be responsible for formulating and developing policies to foster and support the industry, investing in or funding related projects, and attracting investment. It will also handle quality improvement and research and development of new gim and gim-processed products, conduct research to respond to climate change, support the establishment of gim industry clusters and local government cooperation projects, and provide training and education for professional personnel.

The establishment of the Gim Industry Corporation was one of Kim Won's pledges during the 22nd general election. The Democratic Party's Mokpo City Committee held a forum in Mokpo in August of last year to discuss the creation of the Korea Gim Corporation (tentative name). The current amendment was prepared after review by local gim industry experts who participated in the forum.

Kim Won emphasized, "Last year, gim product exports from Mokpo reached a record high of 200 billion won, and the gim industry in Jeonnam is experiencing rapid growth. It is essential to establish the Korea Gim Industry Promotion Corporation to actively implement national investment, research support, and cooperation projects with local governments for companies related to the gim industry."