Buan County Wins Minister's Award at Local Regulatory Innovation Best Practices Competition

Case of Allowing Nighttime Sakkomak Harvesting Operations

Buan County in North Jeolla Province announced on November 26 that it received the Minister's Award at the 2025 Local Regulatory Innovation Best Practices Competition, which was held at the Sejong Convention Center International Conference Hall on November 25.

At the 2025 Local Regulatory Innovation Best Practices Competition, organized by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, Buan County was selected as a recipient of the Minister's Award after competing with 10 local governments nationwide. The award was given for the presentation by Kim Taeok, an official from the Marine and Fisheries Division, under the theme "Abolishing Restrictions on Sakkomak (small ark clam) Harvesting Hours to Increase Fishermen's Income!"

Buan County’s regulatory innovation was highly praised for resolving the issue caused by Article 6 of the "Ordinance on the Number, Size, and Usage Standards of Buan County Management Vessels," which stipulated that aquaculture netting vessels could not be used after sunset. This clause had restricted nighttime operations during the sakkomak harvesting season, leading to decreased productivity and reduced income for aquaculture fishermen.

The Gomsoman area is a major aquaculture site for sakkomak production, with harvesting concentrated annually from November to the following May. Due to the need to consider tidal differences (tidal cycles) during operations, a round-the-clock (24-hour) operation system using aquaculture netting vessels was essential. Through this improvement, a stable harvesting system for sakkomak has been established, resulting in increased production through nighttime operations and higher income for fishermen.

In particular, Buan County’s case was positively evaluated as an example of a local government independently identifying shadow regulations resulting from the conversion of higher-level laws, and for presenting a model for improving local ordinances to other cities and counties.

Governor Kwon Ikhyeon stated, "This award is the result of listening to the voices from the aquaculture field, which is a key source of income for Buan County, and translating them into institutional improvements through field-oriented administration. We will continue to lead regulatory innovation by discovering and improving systems that residents can truly feel."