The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries will launch a task force for tariff and trade issues regarding seafood with the United States to respond quickly to trade measures related to U.S. seafood imports. This action comes as the Trump administration has banned the import of salt produced in Sinan, South Jeolla, citing forced labor, amid an investigation into the human trafficking of foreign seasonal workers.
The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries announced on the 29th that it will hold a meeting of the task force for tariff and trade issues regarding seafood with the United States on the 1st of next month with related ministries and local governments, including the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Employment and Labor, Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.
This meeting will seek to analyze the impacts of reciprocal tariffs and administrative orders on seafood exports, examine the status of U.S. trade regulations related to forced labor, and explore support measures and cooperation plans for diversifying export markets.
The U.S. Trump administration had previously expressed its willingness to respond to illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing and unfair trade practices through an executive order for restoring U.S. seafood competitiveness, along with key seafood policy measures. Recently, the U.S. banned the export of salt from Sinan and may expand the embargo to include products like seaweed and abalone.
The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries plans to hold regular task force meetings in the future to monitor trade measures trends from major overseas institutions, share the labor situation of domestic workers with relevant ministries, and discuss swift and systematic response measures.
Minister Kang Do-hyung noted, "The United States is a major export market for our seafood products and a high-value market," stating, "We will respond swiftly and proactively to trade issues in cooperation with relevant ministries and local governments to minimize the impact on the seafood industry."