Jangdeok Nokyong Research Institute Signs Business Agreement to Develop Health Foods Using Farmed Seahorses from Jeju

Jangdeok Nokyong Research Institute announced on the 18th that it has signed a business agreement for joint development and joint marketing of a specialized product for 'Jeju farmed seahorses' together with Iworld Pharmaceutical, Jeju Marine Bio-Industry Technology Institute, and Ongaeon Bio.

Jeju Cultured Seahorse New Product Joint Development Business Agreement Ceremony.
Photo by Jang Deok Nokyong Research Institute

Seahorses have long been widely used for medicinal purposes, but due to indiscriminate harvesting, their population has sharply declined, leading to their classification as an endangered species and a ban on natural harvesting. Currently, international regulations allow only farmed seahorses to be used for medicinal purposes.

Through this agreement, the four companies will not only jointly develop new products but also collaborate to open export routes to the domestic market and China, where demand for seahorses is high.

Han Gyubong, CEO of the Marine Bio-Industry Technology Institute, stated, "Seahorses are well-known as ornamental animals in Korea, but in China, they are recognized for their value and efficacy to the extent that they are called 'Southern Ginseng.' The price of seahorses in China exceeds 10 million KRW per kilogram (based on premium dried seahorses), making them the second most expensive medicinal ingredient after wild ginseng, with a market size reaching 8 trillion KRW annually."

Shin Kyung-ae, CEO of Jangdeok Nokyong Research Institute, said, "Through this agreement, we expect to develop high value-added new products by sharing each company's technology using edible seahorses."

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