"Perfect Support" Claims by Fisheries Ministry vs. "On the Brink of Closure" Fishermen... Stark Gap Between Policy and Reality

Despite Out-of-Pocket Payments, Fishermen Still in the Red... Tens of Millions Lost in Insurance Premiums
Cho Inho: "Out of Touch with Aquaculture Realities"—Calls for Comprehensive State Intervention
Need to Improve Real Coverage Rates and Expedite Payouts for Fisheries Disaster Insurance

Amid the climate change-driven catastrophe of boiling seas, the government has actively explained that it is "operating a perfect insurance system." However, local fishermen are expressing frustration over the gap between the perceived support on paper and the harsh realities they face, saying actual compensation covers only 30% of their damages.

Fishermen are loading hundreds of thousands of flatfish that died in a mass mortality event caused by high water temperatures at a fish farm in Gunoe-myeon, Wando-gun, Jeonnam, onto trucks with exhausted bodies. Provided by the company

Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries: "No Problems—70-80% of Premiums Covered by the State Budget"

According to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries on August 4, the government announced that it is subsidizing 50% of the net premiums for aquaculture disaster insurance and 100% of operating expenses from the national budget, with no upper limit on support. The ministry claims that this is not inferior to the livestock disaster insurance program, which caps subsidies at 50 million won for 50% of total premiums.

In response to growing controversy regarding damage to aquaculture farms due to high water temperatures, the ministry provided a proactive clarification. Addressing concerns about discrimination between livestock and fisheries support, a ministry official stated, "Even when livestock die from heatwaves or droughts, the livestock industry receives support not directly in cash but through the 'Farming and Fishing Disaster Insurance Act.' It is unreasonable to compare the system for compensation for culling under the Animal Infectious Disease Control Act with the system for supporting fisheries affected by natural disasters."

To counter claims that there is no government support for the fisheries sector, the ministry provided data. A sample analysis of nine aquaculture farms in Wando that reported damage showed that 70-80% or more of the total premiums are subsidized through national and local budgets. For example, one Wando farm paid a total premium of 116.6 million won, of which 69.6 million won was subsidized by the central government and 10 million won by the local government, resulting in an actual out-of-pocket payment of about 37 million won. The ministry also explained that the 100% coverage of operating expenses by the state significantly offsets additional premium surcharges.

Fishermen: "Even with Billions in Losses, We Get Only 30%... Losing Tens of Millions of Won Every Year"

Nonetheless, the experience on the ground is vastly different from the ministry's official figures. While it is true that a portion of the premiums are subsidized, the actual support is grossly insufficient to overcome true disaster situations.

Mr. A, a fisherman who runs an aquaculture business, expressed deep frustration with the ministry's claims. He emphasized, "While the government does subsidize part of the premiums, when billions of won in losses occur due to high water temperatures, the compensation we actually receive is only about 30% of the total damage."

He went on to point out, "Unlike car insurance, which covers nearly 100% of losses in an accident, even after bearing 20-30% of the premiums ourselves, the actual compensation is far too inadequate. Every year we end up losing tens of millions of won in non-refundable premiums."

The sense of injustice over the imbalance with livestock support is also intensifying. Fishermen pointed out that in livestock, the government provides direct compensation for culling in cases of statutorily defined infectious diseases, whereas, for fish deaths due to high water temperatures—which now occur annually due to climate change—or for unexplained winter diseases, fishermen are left to shoulder the full burden themselves.

An Era of Perpetual Climate Crisis... Urgent Need for Practical Countermeasures Beyond Bureaucratic Measures

Strong criticism of the government's disconnect from on-the-ground realities has also emerged in local political circles.

Cho Inho, a member of the Agriculture and Fisheries Committee of the Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Metropolitan Council, said, "The maximum support of 50 million won that is given when a region is declared a disaster area is so unrealistic that it doesn't even cover the monthly electricity bill for a single flounder aquaculture farm." He further urged, "The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries must stop relying solely on desktop data and visit the field to grasp the actual scale of damage and listen to the voices of the fishermen."

In particular, the delays in insurance payouts have become a focal point of criticism. Cho pointed out, "Even after insurance assessments are completed, the payout is delayed by more than six months and may not arrive until the next year. Due to payout delays, fishermen miss the opportunity to stock juvenile fish on time, breaking the continuity of their operations. Expediting payment is urgently needed."

While the ministry maintains that it is offering the proper premium subsidies within the legal framework, local fishermen and political figures argue that their livelihoods are still threatened year after year by repeated high water temperatures. Despite the paperwork benefits touted by the government, fishermen report running their businesses at a loss, unable even to recover their production costs, and experiencing no tangible effects from the supposed support measures.

The government's justification that "there is no problem since 70-80% of insurance premiums are subsidized" falls far short of addressing the deep sighs of fishermen suffering in the face of the massive climate crisis. Many are demanding that the reality of actual coverage rates for fisheries disaster insurance be improved, payout times be shortened, and that comprehensive, government-led disaster response measures tailored to an era of constant climate disasters be urgently developed.

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