Discussion on Support for Endangered Fishermen... Cooperative Foundation Holds 'Nong-eochon Sangsaeng Forum'

Large, Medium and Small Enterprises and Agriculture-Fishery Cooperation Foundation, Suhyup Bank Gather

The Foundation for Cooperation between Large, Small and Medium Enterprises and Agriculture and Fisheries, the Fisheries Cooperative Bank, and the Korea Fisheries Infrastructure Public Corporation announced on the 24th that they held the Rural and Fishing Village Coexistence Forum at the Royal Hotel in Seoul.

Kwak Su-geun, Chairman of the Operations Committee of the Rural-Urban Win-Win Fund Management Headquarters at the Foundation for Cooperation between Large, Small and Medium Enterprises and Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industry, delivers the opening address at the Rural-Urban Win-Win Forum held on the 23rd at the Royal Hotel in Seoul. [Photo by Foundation for Cooperation between Large, Small and Medium Enterprises and Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industry]

This forum was organized to analyze the reality of fishing villages and fishers in crisis and to discuss support measures with related organizations for fishing villages and fishers facing difficulties.

As of last year, the number of fishing households decreased by 47.9% from 81,571 households in 2000 to 42,536 households. During the same period, the fishing population dropped by 63.9%, from 251,349 to 90,805 people. Along with this, income reduction, changes in consumption trends, and decreased domestic seafood consumption due to Fukushima contaminated water are threatening the production base of the fisheries industry.

The Rural and Fishing Village Fund Headquarters has raised 220.2 billion KRW over the past seven years from private companies and public institutions to support rural and fishing village residents and farmers and fishers who have suffered or are at risk of suffering damage due to the implementation of Free Trade Agreements (FTA). Although 167.9 billion KRW has been provided for 722 projects including education and scholarship programs, welfare improvement projects, and regional development projects targeting rural and fishing village residents and farmers and fishers, support projects related to fishing villages and fishers account for only 138 projects and 20.64 billion KRW, about 12% of the total support amount, leading to calls for expansion.

Related organizations participating in the forum the day before shared various support measures and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) support strategies and cases, urging active participation from companies.

Dr. Park Young-jin of the Fisheries Economy Research Institute, in his keynote presentation, appealed about the difficulties faced by fishers due to global warming, illegal fishing, and marine debris, and argued that responses such as developing fisheries technology suited to the internet consumption era and smart aquaculture producing high-quality seafood at low cost are necessary.

The Fisheries Cooperative shared cases of support for revitalizing fishing villages, including financial support such as 776.5 billion KRW in Marine Plastic Zero deposits and 1.5455 trillion KRW in eco-friendly loans, as well as marine environment cleanup activities through the Suhyup Saranghae (海) Volunteer Group.

The Korea Fisheries Infrastructure Public Corporation pointed out the aging and depopulation problems of fishing villages and emphasized the need for virtuous cycle support to attract population inflow. They introduced the achievements of fishing village workation, which combines work and vacation, and fishing village autonomous pensions, urging companies to participate.

Kim Young-hwan, Secretary General of the Cooperation Foundation, said, “Due to population decline caused by low birth rates and aging, rural and fishing village issues and the crisis of regional extinction are becoming serious,” and added, “We will prioritize what the Rural and Fishing Village Coexistence Fund can do and continue efforts to overcome the crisis faced by fishing villages and fishers.”

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