South Korean National Assembly audits fisheries sector issues

During recent National Assembly audits of agencies under the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, lawmakers raised several critical issues facing the South Korean fishing industry. Key concerns included outdated compensation standards for fishermen losing fishing grounds, which have remained unchanged for 30 years, and the high cost of mandatory life jacket enforcement that may not suit actual working conditions.

Lawmakers also addressed the economic strain caused by the decade-long suspension of South Korea-Japan fisheries agreement negotiations, estimating cumulative damages to fishermen at approximately 720 billion won. There were calls for more realistic support measures, such as adjusting subsidies to account for rising fuel costs.

Additional scrutiny was directed toward the management of foreign crew members, specifically regarding high recruitment costs and potential human rights issues that could impact seafood exports. Furthermore, officials highlighted the need for stricter origin inspections for imported Chinese eels to protect domestic producers facing production costs that exceed market prices.