Jeonnam Province Selected for 'Biohealthcare Efficacy Material Demonstration Support Project'

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Yoon Jamin] Jeonnam Province announced on the 23rd that it has secured 10 billion KRW in national funding after being selected for the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries’ “Seaweed-based Biohealthcare Efficacy Material Demonstration Support Project.”

This project involves establishing efficacy material demonstration equipment at Chosun University’s Marine Biology Research and Education Center in Sinji-myeon, Wando, and developing biohealthcare materials and products derived from seaweed.

Jeonnam Province will invest a total of 16 billion KRW, including 10 billion KRW in national funding, to carry out the project by 2024.

Led by Chosun University, 12 research institutions will participate in developing seaweed materials and products. Through efficacy demonstration of materials and support for companies, it is expected to lay the foundation for nurturing various bio-companies in the Jeonnam region.

Additionally, the seaweed-specialized marine bioindustry in Jeonnam is expected to gain further momentum.

Jeonnam accounts for 86% of the nation’s seaweed production, but most of it remains at the level of simple raw material processing (primary processing).

In particular, seaweed contains many bioactive substances such as fucoidan and alginate, which have high industrial value when developed as functional materials for health supplements and natural medicine.

Joo Soon-seon, Director of Strategic Industry at Jeonnam Province, said, “Since the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries has decided to develop Jeonnam as a material supply base through support for clinical trials of bio materials and establishment of mass production facilities as part of the basic plan to revitalize the marine bioindustry, we will actively support the creation of a marine bioindustry ecosystem in Wando and make it a representative material production base in Korea.”

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