Hwang Jongwoo: "'Marine Metropolitan Area Development Plan' to Be Announced at the End of the Month... Focus on Youth Jobs"

First Press Briefing Held at Busan Office on the 14th

Attracting Young Talent by Creating Quality Jobs and Improving Living Conditions

Tailored Support for Each Company Relocating to Busan

The government will announce a long-term roadmap at the end of this month for the development of Busan as a marine metropolitan area, one of the key state agendas under the Lee Jaemyung administration. The plan aims to attract more shipping-related companies, starting with HMM, which has confirmed the relocation of its headquarters to Busan, in order to create quality jobs and improve living conditions, making Busan a city that draws young talent.

Hwang Jong-woo, Minister of Oceans and Fisheries, stated at his first press briefing held at the Busan office on the 14th, "Korea's future growth depends on generating new momentum from the regions, and the task with the highest chance of success is developing the marine metropolitan area." He added, "We plan to announce the comprehensive policy directions for the 'Development of the Marine Metropolitan Area' in detail on Ocean Day, May 31."

Hwang Jong-woo, Minister of Oceans and Fisheries, is speaking at his first press conference held in Busan on the 14th. Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries

Minister Hwang emphasized that 'jobs' are at the core of the roadmap, stating, "Relocating only HMM is not enough to complete the marine metropolitan area; we must continuously provide quality jobs for young people." He explained, "If we proactively secure technology related to icebreaking and polar-class vessels and, in the future, transform Busan into a Northeast Asian logistics hub as Arctic shipping routes open, there will be endless opportunities to create new jobs."

The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries will also begin providing tailored support for companies relocating to Busan, such as HMM. Minister Hwang said, "In order to ensure a smooth relocation for shipping companies, we need not only universal support but also detailed measures tailored to the needs of individual companies." He added, "Since HMM has decided to build a landmark headquarters in Busan North Port, we are actively coordinating with Busan Port Authority to provide support, and we are in discussions with the fiscal authorities regarding policy finance."

The ministry will also accelerate the relocation of six public institutions under its jurisdiction, including the Korea Marine Environment Management Corporation, Korea Fisheries Infrastructure Agency, and Korea Maritime Transportation Safety Authority, to Busan. Minister Hwang said, "Pushing through relocations first and coming up with support measures afterwards, as was done in the past, can lead to various negative side effects. We will encourage each institution to voluntarily choose relocation through sufficient consultation with the heads of agencies and labor unions." He stated that the government plans to speed up the process after the June local elections, once the specific support measures are finalized through discussions between the central government and Busan Metropolitan City.

Regarding the unstable situation in the Middle East, such as the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, Minister Hwang said that the safety of Korean seafarers and vessels is being prioritized. On the moves to impose transit fees in the strait, he pointed out, "Unlike the Suez Canal, the Strait of Hormuz is not an artificially constructed facility, nor does it offer specific services. Imposing transit fees here is effectively blocking the sea route and is a clear violation of international law."

Minister Hwang took office on March 25 this year, during the ongoing U.S.-Iran war. In the mornings, he attends meetings on the Middle East war in Seoul more than three times a week, and in the afternoons, he travels to Busan for work. Minister Hwang said, "To be honest, in the 50 days since taking office, I have only slept in Busan five times, but I am diligently commuting between Seoul and Busan and handling work through video conferencing." He added, "The abnormal situation caused by the Middle East war and the early stage of the ministry's relocation to Busan have resulted in inefficiencies and difficulties for employees, but I and my staff are doing our best to minimize these issues."

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