[2026 National Assembly Audit] Moon Geumju: "Korea-Japan Fisheries Agreement Talks Suspended for 10 Years... Fishers' Losses Near 720 Billion Won"
Negotiations Suspended Since the 2015 Fishing Season, With the Stalemate Dragging On
Annual Losses Estimated at 72.4 Billion Won
Calls for Industry-Specific Support Measures
Concerns have been raised that the cumulative losses suffered by South Korean fishers have nearly reached 720 billion won, as negotiations on the Korea-Japan Fisheries Agreement have been suspended for more than 10 years.
According to Moon Geumju, a Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker on the National Assembly's Agriculture, Food, Rural Affairs, Oceans and Fisheries Committee, losses resulting from the suspension of negotiations on the Korea-Japan Fisheries Agreement are estimated at about 18,192 tons and 72.4 billion won annually. The two countries have suspended negotiations since the 2015 fishing season over disagreements on issues including alternating fishing operations in the East Sea's middle waters and the scale of access for longline vessels.
The government has provided financial support for trips to alternative fishing grounds since 2019, but the cap per fishing vessel is only about 6.98 million won. International oil prices have risen from about $40 per barrel in 2016 to around $80 in 2026, and additional fishing costs have arisen from the long-distance travel. No survey has been conducted on indirect losses to the seafood distribution and processing industries or local employment.
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"While the suspension of negotiations has dragged on, losses for fishers have accumulated, but effective negotiation strategies and assessments of the actual damage remain inadequate," Moon said. "We need to establish concrete negotiating agendas with Japan, including joint surveys of fishery resources, and comprehensively analyze both direct losses and indirect losses to the local economy and employment in order to develop practical support measures."
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