[Contribution] ODA, a channel for Korea to engage with the world

By Song Sang-keun

Football, Pho noodles, and Ao Dai first come to Korean minds when it comes to Vietnam, but the country is less well-known for its natural environment that favors fisheries development. The northern part of Vietnam is home to expansive mangrove forests and mudflats, which has enabled the growth of shellfish aquaculture that has supported local economies since the mid-1990s. In recent years, however, Vietnam has suffered a drastic decrease in shellfish production due to overfishing and degradation of the marine environment. To address this issue, the Vietnamese government reached out to Korea for cooperation in aquaculture technology.

Since 2022, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and the Forest Service of Korea have been jointly involved in an Official Development Aid program to modernize old nursery habitats for shellfish and aquaculture infrastructure, and reforest mangrove forests that provide food resources to mudflats. This project, which is aimed at revitalizing the aquaculture sector and rehabilitating the coastal environment in the northern part of Vietnam, was selected by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development as an example of innovation in ODA.

A key ODA case in marine fisheries was the technological cooperation program that led to a successful sea shrimp farm in the Sahara Desert in Africa. Initiated by request from the Algerian government, the program saw the Korean Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries adopt bioflock technology to introduce cultured microorganisms into the water. This method helps reduce environmental contamination and makes significant savings on fish farming water.

The program not only nurtured a new industry in Algeria, it also presented a viable option for addressing the global food crisis by demonstrating the feasibility of fish farming under extreme climate conditions using Korean technology. The success of the shrimp farm reportedly led to the construction of a feed-manufacturing plant by a Korean business in Algeria.

2023 is an important year in which the fate of Busan’s bid to host the 2030 World Expo will be determined. Pacific Island countries have shown deep interest in our proposed theme of “Transforming our World, Navigating Toward a Better Future” and shared their desire for in-depth discussions about future visions on global climate change if the global event is held in the southern port city.

Countries in the South Pacific have a keen interest in climate change; due to their low elevation above sea level, they are at the very front line of sea level rise impacts caused by climate change. Simon Kofe, foreign minister of Tuvalu, a South Pacific Island country, gave a speech to the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties standing knee-deep in seawater to show the serious real-life situations facing Tuvalu’s coastal economy due to climate change impacts.

To honor Korea’s commitment to serving as a global pivotal state, the ministry is engaged in ODA programs in marine fisheries with 20 coastal developing countries in the South Pacific this year. The programs are worth 28.7 billion won ($22.7 million). One such program involves building a small-scale fish tank along with fish farming and processing facilities in a fishing village in Tuvalu. The program also incorporates systems and training to help island countries prevent sea pollution and effectively respond to climate change. Korea’s ODA programs have drawn the international community’s attention as they help revitalize coastal economies while addressing climate change at the same time.

Marine fisheries ODA serves as a channel through which Korea engages with the world. Through these programs, we try to address the needs of our partner countries and build trust, while presenting our nation’s blueprint for good practices to the world. The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries will remain engaged until our government policy becomes established as a global norm to resolve climate challenges and the food crisis.

Song Sang-keun is Vice Minister of Oceans and Fisheries. The views expressed in this column is his own. – Ed.