36 MARCH 2025 • WORLD AQUACULTURE • WWW.WAS.ORG In addition, Shinsegae Food Inc., a subsidiary of Shinsegae Group, did not directly reveal this. Still, the industry expects that it will be able to independently review whether to participate in the business or the possibility of R&D in connection with expanding the seafood processing business. Local Governments and Fisheries Corporations are also Active Local governments are also active in onshore laver farming. The MOF is also surprised by the response from companies and local governments. An official from the Aquaculture Industry Division of the MOF said, “We receive many calls regarding onshore laver farming. I think I’ve received calls from every local government along the West Coast.” Jeonbuk State and Gunsan City signed an investment agreement with Pulmuone, Saemangeum Development and Investment Agency, and Korea Rural Community Corporation for Saemangeum in 2022. The province has decided to invest KRW 6 billion over five years to build an 8,500m2 ‘land-based Gim R&D center’ on the Saemangeum site. In addition, Jeonbuk State has established a laver onshore farming consortium with Pulmuone and Kongju National University and is planning to apply for the national R&D project ‘Sustainable Premium Laver Seed Production and Onshore Farming Technology Development,’ which the MOF will announce the schedule for this month. Jeonbuk State also held the ‘International Symposium on Aquaculture of Seaweed’ with Pulmuone. Jeollanam-do Province and Haenam-gun County will also form a consortium with CJ CheilJedang Co. to apply for the national R&D project’ Development of Sustainable Superior Laver Seed Production and Land-Based Aquaculture Technology,’ which the MOF will launch. Goheung-gun County, Jeollanam-do Province, announced in December last year that it had succeeded in a first-stage pilot project to overcome the limitations of sea-based laver farming and establish an eco-friendly land-based laver farming production base capable of year-round production. It resulted in the growth of laver fronds on land to a commercially viable size of 40-50cm. In addition, Goheung-gun County plans to form a consortium with Daesang Co. and actively participate in the Gim (laver) land farming system development project, a public offering hosted by the MOF. Gyeongsangbuk-do Province is challenging a land-based laver farming research project on the East Sea, a barren land for laver farming. The Gyeongbuk Fisheries Resources Research Institute has selected seaweed aquaculture research as one of its five major research projects. It is researching the habitat ecology of seaweed native to the East Sea and on land-based aquaculture. Gyeongsangbuk-do Province announced this on November 14 last year by announcing the ‘Marine and Fisheries Transformation Implementation Plan.’ National R&D Project Open for Applications The MOF announced an open call for applications in January for a national R&D project worth KRW 35 billion to develop technologies for the sustainable production of high-quality laver seeds and land-based aquaculture. The Ministry will conduct a review and evaluation in February and March, select a recipient (one company) in March, and begin the R&D in April. Small and Medium-sized Private Companies are also Fiercely Challenging Land-based Laver Farming Representative companies include Jipyeongseon-Yugsang-Gim, Dubeonjjaebada, and Smart Sea Korea. Jipyeongseon-Yuksang-Gim (land-based laver) has been researching two methods at the Buan Gyeokpo Research Institute: a rack method and a scaled-down sea farming method. The company said, “After many years of testing, analyzing, and developing an optimized system for indoor laver farming, we succeeded in trial production and completed a full-scale water tank system in February 2024. We produced Gopchang-gim (fresh laver) on an indoor farm.” The company also registered a patent for the ‘Land-based Gim Farming System’ in December last year. An official from Jipyeongseon-Yugsang-Gim said, ‘We will test produce dried laver in February and March,’ and added, ‘We will be able to harvest 40 to 50 nets (1 net is 120 kg) three times per month at a 1,320 m2 aquaculture farm.’ Dubeonjjaebada (Second Ocean) is a startup developing an onshore laver farming system, Microcean. The company planned an intelligent laver farm with automated machines, smart greenhouses, and control equipment incorporating information and communication technology (ICT). It attracted a seed investment of KRW 500 million from The Ventures and others. Smart Sea Korea has developed a ‘laver farming stand,’ a smart farming technology that enables land-based laver farming all year round. Smart Sea Korea has laid the foundation for stable mass production of high-quality laver by creating an environment optimized for laver production without being affected by the climate. The Problem is ‘Commercialization’ Although many companies, local governments, and universities have formed consortia, the response is that it is not a smooth road. An official from the MOF said, “It has been confirmed that it can be farmed on land in the laboratory. However, the problem is commercialization.” Mr. Choi Byeong-Rak, the head of the Korea Gim Exporters Association, was concerned about economic feasibility. It is because space (site) is needed to increase production. “Currently, only Company P has clearly stated its production capacity, but it is only 100 kg per day,” said Choi. He also predicted that “even if only a portion of the amount to be secured throughout the year is used for self-sufficiency, it will help stabilize the price of seaweed.” Lim Han-kyu, a professor at Mokpo National University, also said “There is still a long way to go before commercialization. I’ve heard since I was in school that ‘circulating aquaculture is the future of aquaculture,’ but it hasn’t happened yet,” said Professor Lim. “It might be possible to use land-based aquaculture as a supplementary means. Still, it must have economic advantages to be commercialized.” Notes Reporter: Park, Jong Myon. Article originally posted on January 17, 2025, HyundaeHaeyang. https://www.hdhy.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=31117
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