Improving Living Conditions and Strengthening Fishermen's Welfare
Building Better Fishing Villages for a Brighter Future
Gangneung City in Gangwon Province (Mayor Kim Honggyu) will make a focused investment of 32.5 billion KRW in the marine and fisheries sector, an increase of 4.1 billion KRW from the previous year, to revitalize the stagnant fishing village economy caused by the aging fishing population and declining fishery resources, which have led to poor catches.
Gangneung City will invest 32.5 billion KRW in the marine and fisheries sector in 2026. Gangneung Changkyeong Barrier Fishery. Photo by Gangneung City
First, to create a safer and more efficient fishing environment, the city will significantly expand fishing infrastructure, including rain shelters within fishing ports and facilities for repairing and storing fishing gear. Additionally, safety facilities in fishing ports, seawater supply facilities, and power distribution systems for fisheries will be comprehensively upgraded to prevent safety accidents.
Furthermore, to strengthen the welfare of fishermen and address the depopulation of fishing villages, Gangneung City will consistently implement welfare enhancement programs such as support for young fishermen's settlement, welfare vouchers for female fishermen, fishermen's allowances, and public direct payments. At the same time, by expanding the second welfare center for foreign fishermen at Jumunjin Port, the city aims to improve residential welfare and employment stability for foreign crew members.
To establish a sustainable fisheries production system, the city will continue to expand projects to restore fishery resource habitats, including two sea forest creation projects and one fishery organism spawning and habitat creation project selected as 2025 government-funded projects, supporting both the recovery of fishery resources and increased income for fishermen.
Additionally, with the increase in seaweed production in areas such as Jeongdong, Simgok, Gangmun, and Sacheon, Gangneung plans to specialize in Gangneung seaweed (marine algae) and enhance its added value by supporting the production of seaweed processing equipment and packaging materials.
Fisheries and fishing port regeneration projects, such as the Fishing Village New Vitality Promotion Project and the General Agro-Fisheries Village Development Project, which were selected as Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries public projects, will also be steadily promoted to establish a solid foundation for revitalizing fishing villages.
Moreover, to boost marine tourism, the city plans to develop year-round content and actively utilize the 'Gangneung Changkyeong Barrier Fishing,' which was designated as the province's first National Important Fishery Heritage, to present a new model for fishing village tourism.
Gangneung City will invest 32.5 billion won in the marine and fisheries sector in 2026. Fish market rain shelter facility (Sodol Port). Provided by Gangneung City
To create a safe and clean marine environment, Gangneung City will strengthen marine environment monitoring and thoroughly implement coastal maintenance projects and the National Safe Coast Project, thereby actively responding to marine disasters.
A Gangneung City official stated, "Although fishing villages face difficult conditions due to the risk of depopulation and changes in the marine environment, we will continue to identify and expand policies that can revitalize fishing villages and make them happy places for fishermen."
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