Wando Seaweed Industry Hosts On-Site Visit by WWF Representatives

Visiting Aquaculture Farms and Expanding the Marine Bio-Industry
Accelerating Preparations for the 'Wando International Seaweed Expo'

Wando County in South Jeolla Province announced on June 5 that representatives from the seaweed industry in the United States and Portugal, including the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), recently visited Wando to conduct seaweed research.

This visit was organized as part of a project to advance the seaweed industry and promote international exchange and cooperation, which is being led by WWF and a research team from Professor Kim Jangkyun at Incheon National University. The delegation toured a series of key sites, including the Wando County Fisheries Seed Research Institute, a seedling cultivation facility, a seaweed farm, a seaweed drying facility, a marine healthcare efficacy demonstration center, and a marine healing center, to observe the current status of Wando's seaweed industry.

Representatives from the seaweed industry in the United States and Portugal, including the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), visited Wando to conduct seaweed research. Photo by Wando County

Shin Woochul, Governor of Wando County, stated, "The fact that international organizations such as the World Bank (WB), developing countries, and now WWF are visiting Wando demonstrates that the competitiveness of our seaweed industry is being recognized globally." He added, "As the center of the seaweed industry in Korea, we will continue to lead the way in sustainable marine industries."

The delegation experienced the status of Wando County's marine bio-industry by visiting major seaweed-related facilities, including the Fisheries Seed Research Institute, seedling cultivation facility, seaweed farm, seaweed drying facility, marine healthcare efficacy demonstration center, and marine healing center.

Bailey Moritz, Seaweed Aquaculture Lead at WWF, commented, "Wando's seaweed farming and processing systems are among the best in the world in terms of scale and expertise," adding, "There is great potential for these systems to become a model for sustainable industry."

Todd Paige, who is in charge of public relations, also remarked, "Through the marine healing program I experienced firsthand at the Wando Marine Healing Center, I was able to see that seaweed can be utilized as a resource for healing and well-being." He added, "The potential for expanding into a marine bio-industry specialized in seaweed is very impressive."

Wando County accounts for more than 50% of the nation's total production of seaweed, including gim, miyeok, dasima, tot, and maesaengi. Based on its seaweed industry infrastructure and research capabilities, it is growing as a key hub for the national marine bio-industry. In 2021, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) of the United States highlighted Wando's eco-friendly aquaculture system by releasing satellite images of Wando's seaweed farms. In November of last year, Wando County visited NASA and the U.S. Department of Energy to discuss ways to expand blue carbon certification for seaweed.

Meanwhile, the county is preparing to host the 'Pre-Wando International Seaweed Expo' next year, and plans to establish itself as a global center of the seaweed industry through the 'Wando International Seaweed Expo' in 2028.