Council Member Jo Inho: "Fisheries Budget Remains at 5%... Must Shift to a Core Investment for the Future"

Five-Minute Speech at the 1st Regular Session
Proposing Alternatives for Climate Crisis Response and Diversification of Sales Channels

Jo Inho, Council Member of Jeonnam Gwangju Integrated Special City (The Minjoo Party of Korea, Wando District 2), strongly urged for the strategic expansion of financial resources in the marine and fisheries sector and emphasized the necessity of future-oriented investments to ensure sustainable fisheries during his five-minute free speech at the 1st regular session of the council held on September 8, 2026.

On this day, Council Member Jo stated, "Based on the pre-integration Jeonnam Province standards, the budget allocated to the marine and fisheries sector still remains at around 5%," and pointed out, "There must be bold and effective fiscal investments that truly reflect the industrial value and future growth potential of the marine and fisheries industries."

Join Ho, Jeonnam Gwangju Integrated Special City Council Member.

In particular, he highlighted the structural crisis facing the abalone industry in Wando, a leading example of aquaculture fisheries, and called for countermeasures. He stressed, "Fishermen are now experiencing severe hardships due to supply-demand imbalances and falling prices," and continued, "There is an urgent need to significantly strengthen policy and financial support for post-production stages, such as fostering the processing industry and securing stable sales channels."

He also presented specific alternatives for responding to the climate crisis and diversifying market channels. He commented, "It is essential to quickly develop high-temperature-resistant breeds as well as to accelerate the adoption of smart aquaculture technologies." He added, "We must systematically expand public consumption markets by including school meals, public institutions, and military units, thereby ensuring stable sales channels for local seafood."

Jo emphasized, "What fishermen are seeking is not special treatment, but an environment where the seafood they produce is rightfully valued." He reiterated, "By making strategic financial investments, we must respond to climate change and foster the fisheries and seafood industry in a comprehensive manner."

He further asserted, "The survival of Wando’s sea determines the survival of the city’s waters, and the future sustainability of the Integrated Special City depends on the vitality of its fishing villages." He repeatedly called for the marine and fisheries budget to be shifted from mere consumptive support to a core investment that secures the region’s future.

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