Private Companies' Factories Begin Operations in Succession at Gunsan Saemangeum Seafood Complex

Seafood companies Haesin and Gosanghan Company begin production
Planned investment of 230.4 billion won by all 11 prospective tenants takes shape

Haesin Co., Ltd., a company specializing in sea cucumber processing, and Gosanghan Company Co., Ltd., a seafood food manufacturer, have completed construction of their factories at the Gunsan Saemangeum Seafood Export Processing Complex and begun production. With private companies starting operations at the complex, the industrial foundation for turning local seafood into processed foods and export products is expanding.

Gunsan Saemangeum Seafood Export Processing Complex. Provided by Gunsan City Hall.

Gunsan City said on October 12 that two of the 11 companies planning to move into the seafood complex had recently completed construction of their factories and begun full-scale production. Their operations reflect a broader shift in the local seafood industry, as companies establish a presence in the Saemangeum National Industrial Complex and the industry expands beyond raw seafood production to encompass processing, distribution, and exports.

Haesin Co., Ltd. received the $5 million Export Tower Award at the 62nd Trade Day in December 2025 and was also selected as a "Prospective Ocean Star," a program run by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and the Korea Institute of Marine Science & Technology Promotion. The new factory plans to produce a range of processed foods, including salted sea cucumber, sea cucumber dumplings, and sea cucumber jajang, a black bean sauce dish.

Gunsan-based youth-run company Gosanghan Company Co., Ltd. started out in 2017 as a restaurant called Jjaebo Seonchang in Wolmyeong-dong. It later began developing seafood products using local ingredients and grew its business by developing home meal replacement (HMR) products in collaboration with Kunsan National University and others. The newly completed factory plans to produce HMR products using local seafood, including blue crabs, shrimp, and shellfish, with hygienic equipment.

A total of 11 companies are expected to invest approximately 230.4 billion won in the seafood complex: six seaweed-related companies, four seafood companies, and one frozen and refrigerated food company.

Three companies have completed construction of their factories, while another three are currently building theirs. The remaining companies plan to begin construction once they complete discussions with financial institutions and the relevant administrative procedures.

Gunsan City plans to link tenant companies with the Smart Seafood Processing Center, which is scheduled for completion in May 2027, to improve efficiency in production and processing and strengthen cooperation among companies.

A Gunsan City official said, "As private companies continue to invest in the Gunsan Saemangeum Seafood Export Processing Complex, the industrialization of local seafood into higher-value products is producing tangible results. We will build an industrial foundation linking production, processing, and exports to enhance the competitiveness of local seafood products."

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