1. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries sent a delegation on fisheries cooperation (head: ambassador for economic cooperation with Latin America Shin Soong-chul) to Ecuador and Nicaragua. The delegation will stay there for eight days from October 23 to 30 to strengthen fisheries cooperation with Latin American countries and secure support for the establishment of World Fisheries University (WFU).

o The delegation consists of experts in fisheries and fish farming from the Foreign Ministry, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, the Korea Maritime Institute, the Korea Fisheries Resources Agency, the Korea Overseas Fisheries Association, academia and private companies. The delegation met with related government officials and held forums on fisheries cooperation in Ecuador and Nicaragua.

2. In Ecuador, the delegation held the “2nd Korea-Latin America Fisheries Forum.” At the forum, fisheries experts from the ROK and Latin American countries explained their countries’ fisheries industries and related problems, and discussed ways to resolve them.

o In particular, in her congratulatory remarks at the forum, Minister of Aquaculture and Fisheries of Ecuador Ana Katuska Drouet Salcedo expressed appreciation for holding a forum to build networks for cooperation in fisheries and fish farming between the ROK and Ecuador, and between the ROK and Latin America, and to explore ways to enhance such cooperation. She also expressed hope that the forum will serve as an opportunity to expand cooperation in fisheries and fish farming between the two countries.

o Regarding the ROK side’s request for support for the establishment of World Fisheries University, the Minister of Aquaculture and Fisheries said that her country will actively look into ways to support the ROK at a plenary meeting of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

3. In Nicaragua, a forum on fisheries cooperation between the ROK and Nicaragua took place to discuss possible projects for fisheries cooperation between the two countries.

o The ROK side explained the current state of the ROK’s fish farming industry, and offered to pursue ODA projects to improve the hygiene of marine products and support inspection equipment. The Nicaraguan side explained the current status of the country’s fisheries and fish farming industries. Experts from the two countries exchanged their opinions regarding the industries.

o Concerning the ROK side’s request for support for the establishment of World Fisheries University, Tania Norory, the director for technical cooperation of Nicaragua’s fisheries authorities, said that the country will work to support the ROK at a plenary meeting of the FAO.

4. The dispatch of the delegation to Latin America is seen to serve as an opportunity to better understand the current status of the fisheries industries in the Latin American countries, and to inform them of the ROK’s advanced technologies in fisheries and fish farming. The dispatch is also expected to provide Korean companies which joined the delegation with an opportunity to enter the market in Latin America, and further increase their presence there going forward.


* unofficial translation