Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries Expands 'Drive-Thru' to Seoul, Sejong, Gwangju, etc. to Promote Seafood Consumption

Comprehensive Seafood Promotion Event Underway

'Online Seafood Festival' Scheduled for the End of This Month

On the 26th of last month, citizens were purchasing seafood while remaining in their cars in front of South Gate 1 of Noryangjin Fisheries Wholesale Market in Seoul. The National Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives introduced a 'Drive through' sales method that allows customers to buy products while staying in their cars to revitalize seafood consumption, which has declined due to COVID-19. Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Joo Sang-don] The government has decided to hold an all-out seafood consumption promotion event focusing on expanding non-face-to-face sales such as the 'drive-thru method' to revitalize seafood consumption, which has been depressed due to the impact of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

On the 8th, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries announced that, together with producer organizations, it will expand the operation of drive-thru fresh seafood special sales sites in five regions including Seoul, Sejong, Gwangju, Pohang, and Hadong starting from the 23rd.

Due to the spread of COVID-19, the shipment amount of aquaculture seafood in February decreased by 15-40% compared to January. Visitors to seafood dining establishments such as Japanese restaurants also dropped by more than 70% compared to January, causing a sharp increase in damages to fishermen and related industry workers. In response, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries held emergency meetings with related agencies chaired by Minister Moon Sung-hyeok on the 9th and 26th of last month and devised seafood consumption promotion measures including ▲online emergency consumption promotion and win-win discount events ▲win-win discounts at large supermarkets ▲win-win purchases by public institutions ▲expansion of drive-thru introduction.

The drive-thru fresh seafood special sales have the advantage of delivering fresh seafood, whose freshness is vital, directly to consumers immediately after processing, and reducing intermediate distribution stages to offer prices lower than market prices. Currently, good results are being achieved through drive-thru sales in Pohang, Wando, Ulsan, and other areas. Since the 26th of last month, drive-thru sales of live fish have been conducted at Noryangjin Fisheries Wholesale Market, and since the 6th at the Suhyup Gangseo Wholesale Market, recording total sales of 81 million KRW by the 7th.

Additionally, when linked with coastal tourist destinations nationwide, it can be utilized as a specialized product of fishing village and fishing port tourism complexes. The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries plans to expand non-face-to-face live seafood sales via the drive-thru method to promote seafood consumption.

Consumption promotion through online sales is also being pursued. To support sea squirt and abalone fishermen facing shipment difficulties and to activate non-face-to-face seafood sales, from February 29 to March 31 this year, the Ministry held an online win-win discount event on five online shopping malls including 11st, Auction, Post Office Shopping, Suhyup Shopping, and Fish Sale, achieving total sales of 990 million KRW. Furthermore, from March 9 to 31, a 'Helping Our Fishermen Online Win-Win Discount Event' was held voluntarily by three companies?11st, Gmarket, and Fish Sale?achieving an additional 1.18 billion KRW in sales. Notably, 11st recorded only 57 million KRW in sea squirt and abalone sales during the same period last year, but through this online win-win discount event, sales reached 740 million KRW this year, showing about a 13-fold increase.

Based on this online seafood sales experience, the Ministry plans to establish and promote a policy direction focused on building a system to expand online direct transactions of seafood, moving away from policies centered on supporting existing offline facilities.

Offline win-win discounts centered on large supermarkets will also be conducted. Since large supermarkets are among the easiest places for the public to access seafood, the Ministry plans to continuously cooperate with large supermarkets and others to expand seafood sales. Already, from March 25 to April 15, a live fish win-win discount event is being held sequentially with aquaculture seafood producers and large supermarkets. This event is taking place at about 340 stores nationwide of Homeplus, E-Mart, and Lotte Mart. Homeplus, which held the event from March 25 to April 1, recorded sales of 13 tons of flounder at 107 stores nationwide. The Ministry expects to sell more than 50 tons of flounder by the end of the event based on this trend.

Win-win purchases by public institutions are also being promoted. Through the aquaculture seafood consumption promotion campaign targeting flounder, rockfish, freshwater eel, sea squirt, abalone, and fish cakes from March 27 to April 10, sales of 110 million KRW have been recorded as of April 5. The Ministry expects total sales to exceed 150 million KRW by the end of the event on the 10th. The Ministry is currently considering expanding seafood consumption campaigns with major metropolitan local governments nationwide.

After the current online win-win discount event ends, the Ministry plans to hold a large-scale online seafood discount event called the 'Online Seafood Festival' in cooperation with online shopping companies around the end of April. After the win-win discount event with large supermarkets concludes, additional live fish discount events will be held for other sluggish consumption items. Additionally, a discount event will be conducted with the National Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives to support fishermen affected by the suspension of school meal supplies.

Lee Kyung-gyu, Director of Fisheries Policy at the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, said, "We are devising various measures to activate non-face-to-face seafood sales in accordance with strengthened social distancing," and added, "Through these events, we will analyze changes in consumers' seafood consumption patterns and seek policy directions to expand online-centered direct seafood transactions."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.