Yeonggwang-gun, Geumbil Geographic Indication Registration Possible... Passed National Assembly Plenary Session

Yeonggwang-gun, Jeollanam-do (Governor Kang Jong-man) announced on the 28th that it has taken a step closer to registering the Yeonggwang Gulbi under the Geographical Indication (GI) system following the passage of a partial amendment to the "Agricultural and Fishery Products Quality Control Act" at the National Assembly plenary session on the 27th.

The registration of Yeonggwang Gulbi under the Geographical Indication system has overcome a major hurdle.
[Photo by Yeonggwang-gun]

Since 2009, the county has been promoting the registration of Yeonggwang Gulbi under the GI system, but the regulation in the "Agricultural and Fishery Products Quality Control Act" requiring that the fishery product must be produced in the designated region had been an obstacle to the GI registration.

The recent partial amendment to the "Agricultural and Fishery Products Quality Control Act" includes provisions that recognize the GI system if domestic fish are used as the main raw material and processed with a unique method in the designated GI area, regardless of the production region of the raw materials. This makes it possible to register Yeonggwang Gulbi under the GI system.

The GI system, according to the enforcement rules of the "Agricultural and Fishery Products Quality Control Act," is a mark indicating that agricultural or fishery products or processed agricultural and fishery products are produced, manufactured, and processed in a specific region, based on the reputation, quality, or other characteristics that essentially originate from the geographical features of that region.

The secret to the special taste of Yeonggwang Gulbi has long been in the process of making yellow corvina into gulbi. One of these processes is "Seotgan," a salting method where sun-dried salt with the brine sufficiently removed is sprinkled on both gills, mouth, and body to extract moisture and allow the salt to penetrate properly.

Next, the fish are dried by the sea breeze blowing from Beopseongpo. The salted yellow corvina are tied with straw and hung, and during winter, as they freeze and thaw, the flesh dries to a golden yellow color.

Once Yeonggwang Gulbi is recognized for its unique processing technique and registered under the GI system, it will hold the GI rights under the "Agricultural and Fishery Products Quality Control Act" and be able to exercise exclusive rights to use the GI mark.

Furthermore, the recognition of Yeonggwang Gulbi's excellence is expected to greatly contribute to the development of the sixth industrialization and local specialty products by linking production, processing, distribution, and experiential activities.

With the legal restrictions now resolved, the county plans to proceed immediately with the registration process for Yeonggwang Gulbi GI once the subordinate laws, such as enforcement ordinances and rules, are amended.

Governor Kang Jong-man said, "With the major obstacle to registering Yeonggwang Gulbi under the GI system removed by this legal amendment, we will thoroughly prepare for the remaining registration review process to ensure that the Yeonggwang Gulbi GI registration is successfully achieved."

Yeonggwang = Lee Jeonseong, Honam Reporting Headquarters, Asia Economy baekok@asiae.co.kr

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