Korea Fisheries Infrastructure Promotion Association Holds an On-site Forum to Promote Return-to-Fishing and Rural Settlement in Gyeongnam

[Consumer Times | Reporter Ahn Woo-jin] The Gyeongnam Return-to-Fishing & Rural Settlement Support Center of the Korea Fisheries Infrastructure Promotion Association (Director Jeong Do-seop, hereinafter referred to as the Gyeongnam Center) held the “2021 On-site Forum for Revitalizing Return-to-Fishing and Rural Settlement in Gyeongnam” on the 16th at Chungmu Hall of the Tongyeong Marina Resort.

The forum was organized to strengthen the capabilities of return-to-fishing stakeholders in Gyeongnam and to build networks among settlers, and was attended by the Fisheries Safety Technology Institute, local government officials in charge of return-to-fishing and rural settlement, local fishermen, and prospective returnees.

The forum began with a series of keynote presentations, including “The Formation and Operation of the Gyeongnam Young Fishermen Association” by Lee Cheol-soo, Director of the Fisheries Safety Technology Institute; “Presentation of the Return-to-Fishing and Rural Settlement Survey Results” by Jeong Do-seop, Director of the Gyeongnam Center; and “Measures to Revitalize Return-to-Fishing and Rural Settlement in Gyeongnam” by Lee Seung-woo, Senior Research Fellow at the Korea Maritime Institute (KMI).

In addition, a session was held to share industry-specific settlement cases through presentations by Jeong Jin-gyu, Manager of the Munhang Fishing Village Association in Namhae; Kim Tae-hyun, Director of Blue Ocean Fisheries Cooperative; and Kim Joo-hee, Office Manager of the Dadae Fishing Village Experience & Recreation Village in Geoje.

Based on the presentations and lectures, the forum concluded with an in-depth panel discussion on ways to revitalize return-to-fishing and rural settlement in Gyeongnam, with designated discussants including Jeong Jin-gyu, Kim Tae-hyun, Baek Seung-won (President of the Gyeongnam Association of New Knowledge Experts in Marine and Fisheries), and Shim Bong-taek, a Return-to-Fishing Consultant from the Corporation’s Comprehensive Return-to-Fishing & Rural Settlement Center.

Lee Cheol-soo, Director of the Fisheries Safety Technology Institute, who delivered a keynote presentation at the forum, said, “This forum provided useful information to fishermen and those interested in returning to fishing and rural areas,” adding, “We will continue to make greater efforts to develop the fisheries industry and increase fishermen’s income in the Gyeongnam region.”

Jeong Do-seop, Director of the Gyeongnam Center, said, “This forum served as a valuable platform for cooperation, where officials, returnees, and prospective returnees could share meaningful opinions on revitalizing return-to-fishing and rural settlement,” adding, “We will strive to provide better services for those interested in returning to fishing and rural areas in the Gyeongnam region.”

Meanwhile, the Gyeongnam Center continues its efforts to revitalize return-to-fishing and rural settlement in the region by operating the 2021 Return-to-Fishing Capacity-Building (E-commerce) Program, which includes support for building and operating individual online stores for trainees and providing one-on-one consulting.