"Accelerating Passage of Maritime Court and Southeast Region Investment Corporation Bills"
The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries will complete the relocation of its headquarters to Busan by the end of the year and establish a new ministerial-level task force dedicated to developing the Arctic shipping route. The ministry also plans to accelerate the passage of key legislative bills for the maritime industry, such as the establishment of a maritime court and the creation of the Southeast Region Industrial Investment Corporation.
On September 11, Minister Jeon Jae-soo of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries held a press conference at the Government Complex Sejong and stated, "The relocation of the ministry is not simply a move of office buildings, but a symbolic project to establish the status of Busan as Korea's maritime capital." He added, "We will begin construction of the Busan office in October and complete the relocation by December." The government has secured 86.7 billion won in reserve funds and will also implement measures to support relocated employees, such as assistance with rental housing, provision of official residences, and customized relocation consulting to improve living conditions.
Along with the move to Busan, the ministry will also strengthen its Arctic shipping route policy to lead changes in the global shipping and logistics landscape. Minister Jeon explained, "We will elevate the existing Arctic shipping route task force, which was previously led at the vice-ministerial level, to a ministerial-level organization directly under the minister, expanding it into an inter-ministerial dedicated task force." The Arctic shipping route is a strategic route whose commercial viability is increasing due to climate change, prompting both Europe and China to seek entry competitively. The government plans to establish the new task force and form a public-private advisory committee to enhance policy execution.
The legal and institutional foundation will also be strengthened. Minister Jeon predicted, "During this regular session of the National Assembly, the bills to establish a maritime court and to create the Southeast Region Industrial Investment Corporation will be passed." He explained that the maritime court is necessary to enhance expertise in maritime cases and to support swift dispute resolution. The Southeast Region Investment Corporation will secure investment funds through bond issuance and focus on investing in the regional maritime industry. Minister Jeon stated, "We will launch the corporation as a public entity to ensure financial stability and actively foster new industries in connection with private investment."
The issue of the discharge of contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant was also addressed. Minister Jeon said, "Japan has processed about 6% of the total planned discharge volume," and added, "The government is closely cooperating with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and is monitoring safety." He continued, "Taking public concerns into account, we will strengthen marine radioactivity monitoring and implement support measures to prevent any damage to fishermen."
Regarding the privatization of national shipping company HMM, Minister Jeon remarked, "A simple sale is not the only answer," and emphasized, "We must consider the public role of HMM as a national shipping company." Given that HMM was once revived with public funds during a global shipping recession, he stressed that national logistics security must be taken into account during the privatization process.
The ministry also presented its policy plans for the second half of the year. The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries plans to designate additional integrated marine leisure tourism cities, secure sites for offshore wind power complexes, and establish strategies for the fisheries industry to respond to climate change. In addition, the ministry announced that it will select leading smart fisheries innovation zones and expand aquaculture and processing models that incorporate digital technology.
Minister Jeon emphasized, "Completing the maritime capital region is not a task for a particular administration, but a core national growth strategy," and added, "We will foster maritime industry hubs centered on Busan to create future growth engines." He continued, "We will enhance global competitiveness across shipping, fisheries, and marine environment sectors, and deliver policy outcomes that the public can truly feel."
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