KMI Holds Seminar on "Marine Litter and Community Participation Income"

Community-Based Marine Litter Collection
Achieving Both Income Security and Environmental Conservation

The Korea Maritime Institute (KMI), led by President Cho Jeonghee, held the 'Haessdandan Seminar' on June 16, 2025, at the Marine Protected Area Management Center in Tongyeong, Gyeongnam Province, under the theme of 'Marine Litter and Community Participation Income.'

Haessdandan Seminar.

This seminar was organized as an academic exchange platform to discuss the future of marine litter management and to explore sustainable participation models linked to local communities.

The 'Haessdandan Seminar' is a regular seminar where experts from different generations participate to share information and experiences aimed at solving the problem of marine litter, with a particular focus on education and policy development for future generations.

This seminar highlighted cases where the concept of 'participation income' was applied to marine litter collection activities. Participation income is a system originally applied to welfare or volunteer activities, in which residents are guaranteed a certain income for engaging in socially beneficial activities.

According to KMI, participation income in the field of marine litter involves residents of fishing villages and private organizations directly participating in beach and underwater cleanups and receiving compensation for their efforts. This model is evaluated as being distinct from traditional public-led marine cleanup approaches, as it enhances residents' voluntary engagement and contributes to revitalizing the fishing village economy and improving environmental awareness.

The seminar featured a variety of region-based marine litter response cases, including: the participation income model in Seonchon Village, Tongyeong, Gyeongnam; the resident participation model of the social enterprise Ulsan; and the Sea Environment Guardians activities of the Jeju Research Institute.

Cho Jeonghee, President of the Korea Maritime Institute, stated, "When fishermen take the initiative in collecting marine litter in their villages, it can achieve the dual effect of raising awareness for marine environmental conservation and securing income. I hope that, starting with this seminar, such resident participation activities will expand beyond marine litter to address a variety of social issues."