10 DECEMBER 2023 • WORLD AQUACULTURE • WWW.WAS.ORG CHAPTER REPORTS Record High $700M K-Gim Exports The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF, Minister Cho Seung-Hwan) announced on November 10 that Korea’s Gim (edible seaweeds) exports amounted to about $700.89 million, surpassing the export performance in 2021 ($690 million), the highest performance ever. In the past, Gim (laver) was mainly consumed as a side dish for rice, but recently, it has become popular overseas as a low-calorie health food, and the global laver market is snowballing. Following this trend, our Gim industry is capturing the tastes of people around the world through continuous product development, such as developing laver snacks with barbecue, cheese, and bulgogi flavors and launching laver wrapped in pork belly in line with the globalization of Korean food. The MOF is also working to expand overseas markets by actively supporting the Gim industry in obtaining international certification, providing export vouchers, holding overseas trade consultations, and conducting radiation safety tests to foster our K-Gim as a global favorite food. As a result of these efforts, Gim exports expanded to countries such as Southeast Asia and Europe, including the United States (USD 143 million, 8.3% ↑), Korea’s No. 1 seaweed export country, increasing the number of Gim export destinations from 64 countries in 2010 to 120 countries in 12 years. It resulted in a nearly two-fold expansion. Minister Cho Seung-Hwan said, “Gim is contributing greatly to the development of the national economy as the entire process, including production, processing, and distribution, is carried out domestically, and the economic effects of exports are returned as is.” He added, “Achieving the highest export performance in history. To continue the excellent trend and achieve $1 billion in seaweed exports by 2027, we will continue the reputation of Korean Gim in the global market by promoting the 1st Basic Plan for the Promotion of Korea’s Gim Industry, announced on September 11 without a hitch.” (MOF press lease Nov. 10, 2023) Seafood Origin Identification Simplified with AI Technology The National Institute of Fisheries Science (NIFS, President Woo Dong-Sik) announced that it had developed a genetic analysis method that can quickly determine the country of origin of salted shrimp using machine learning technology, a field of artificial intelligence (AI), on October 24. Salted shrimp is a major fishery product for making Kimchi, and its demand increases from November when the Kimchi season begins. As a result, cheap imported salted shrimp is sold to consumers under the guise of domestic production. However, it isn’t easy to distinguish between domestic and imported shrimp with the naked eye. The shape may vary depending on the manufacturing method, so it is possible to determine the country of origin only through genetic testing. The current technology for determining the origin of shrimp requires professional knowledge to analyze and interpret the specific gene sequence of the target species, and it takes more than seven days to determine. This technology uses an analysis kit to analyze the DNA barcode features and patterns of seafood. It automates the process of interpreting the results by computer, cutting the analysis period in half and making it easier for non-experts to use, enabling faster and more accurate determination of the origin of shrimp. The NIFS is applying for a patent on a technology to determine the origin of salted shrimp using machine learning and plans to provide technology training and technology transfer to related organizations. Dr. Kim Young-Ok (Head of the Biotechnology Division, NIFS) said, “We expect that marine product identification technology using artificial intelligence will improve the quality and stability of products by providing quick and accurate country of origin information to the fishery industry and consumers. In addition, we will strive to apply this technology to various marine products and food fields.” Establishment of a New Marine BioBank of Antibiotic Materials The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF, Minister Cho Seung-hwan) discovered antibiotic materials with excellent antibacterial properties from marine life resources, established a new marine biobank, and promoted free distribution for commercialization starting on November 27. The National Marine Biodiversity Institute of Korea (MABIK, President Choi Wan-hyun) under the MOF has established and operated the Marine BioBank that discovers valuable materials from marine life resources and provides them to companies, including extracts (2018), genetic resources (2019), microorganisms (2019), microalgae (2020), and cosmetics (2022). This time, the MABIK has recently established a new antibiotic marine biobank by discovering 1,120 substances that can be utilized as antibiotic materials due to their excellent antibacterial functions, such as Mojaban (Sargassum sp.) living off the coast of Korea and along the southern coast. The Marine BioBank of Antibiotic Materials Korean Chapter “Gim is contributing greatly to the development of the national economy as the entire process, including production, processing, and distribution, is carried out domestically, and the economic effects of exports are returned as is. Achieving the highest export performance in history. To continue the excellent trend and achieve $1 billion in seaweed exports by 2027, we will continue the reputation of Korean Gim in the global market by promoting the 1st Basic Plan for the Promotion of Korea’s Gim Industry, announced on September 11 without a hitch.” — MINISTER CHO SEUNG-HWAN
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjExNDY=