Sokcho City Sees 60% Surge in Catch Volume, 21% Rise in Tourists... Local Economy on a Rapid Growth Track in Second Half

Sokcho Releases Second Half 2025 Economic Trends
Record Growth in Both Fisheries and Tourism
Tourist Numbers Surpass 14 Million, Driving Regional Economy
Employment Rate Stable at 66.4% with 8% Rise in Foreign Workforce

Sokcho City in Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province has released its economic performance report for the second half of 2025. Both the catch volume and the number of tourists have shown record-breaking increases, indicating a vibrant real economy in the region.

Catch Volume and Catch Amount Change Trends. Provided by Sokcho City

According to the “Second Half 2025 Economic Trends” announced by Sokcho City on June 30, production activities in the fisheries sector have significantly expanded. The total catch volume in the second half reached 5,093 tons, a remarkable 60.01% surge compared to the first half of the year. Consequently, catch value also rose to 21.109 billion won, up 31.91% from the previous period, reflecting a notable increase in fishermen’s incomes.

The city has also solidified its status as a tourist destination. The number of external tourists visiting Sokcho in the second half totaled 14,131,000, representing an increase of 21.11% from the previous period and 3.40% year-on-year.

A Sokcho City official analyzed, “The explosive increase in tourism demand, combined with seasonal factors, is reflected in the indicators.” Water consumption rose to 5,755,000 tons, up 14.39% from the previous period; electricity consumption increased 6.12% to 312,530 MWh; and petroleum consumption climbed 9.46% to 53,054 kL. The rise in tourist numbers and seasonal factors appear to have driven increases in energy and daily life infrastructure indicators.

The employment market has remained stable. The employment rate stood at 66.4%, maintaining the same level as the previous period, while the unemployment rate dropped by 0.2 percentage points to 1.3%, approaching full employment. In particular, the registered foreign population increased by 8.02% to 1,873, which is attributed to foreign workers filling workforce shortages in local industries, including non-professional employment.

Tourist Status. Provided by Sokcho City

In contrast, the real estate market showed clear signs of stagnation. The land transaction area was 417,278 square meters, a 28.67% decrease from the previous period. Notably, the overwhelming majority of actual transactions (62.51%) were made by Sokcho citizens rather than speculative investors from outside the region, with Seoul accounting for 16.21%, Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province for 12.23%, and other regions for 9.05%.

In terms of external trade, export value amounted to USD 7,988,000, a slight decrease of 3.58% compared to the previous period. However, on a year-on-year basis, it showed an impressive growth rate of 29.99%, indicating qualitative growth. Import value was USD 18,840,000, down 4.24% from the previous period.

Looking at the employment and job market, the employment rate remained at 66.4%, unchanged from the previous period, while the economic participation rate increased by 0.1 percentage points to 67.3%. The unemployment rate was 1.3%, down 0.2 percentage points from the previous period, showing that the main employment indicators either remained steady or improved slightly.

However, the number of job openings was 2,826, a decrease of 3.29% from the previous period, and the number of people hired was 800, down 12.85%. The number of unemployment benefit applicants was 1,024, down 16.95%, and the total amount of unemployment benefits paid was 964.4 million won, a decrease of 15.70% compared to the previous period.

A Sokcho City official stated, “We will closely analyze these economic indicators to develop tailored policies for stabilizing small business management, supporting the growth of SMEs, and creating quality jobs,” adding, “We will continue to enhance the dynamism of the local economy in cooperation with related agencies.”

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