The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries has been deep in thought over the issuance of new licenses for seaweed cultivation this year. While there is a growing need to permit new cultivation sites due to a significant increase in seaweed exports, the area requested for cultivation sites has drastically decreased compared to last year.
According to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and local governments on the 9th, the area requested for new licenses in Jeollanam-do, which accounts for the majority of seaweed production, also plummeted this year. The area requested for new seaweed cultivation licenses in Jeollanam-do is 4,600 hectares, which is only 24% of the 18,900 hectares requested last year. The area requested for new offshore seaweed cultivation licenses was limited to 800 hectares.
This decline has also been observed in other regions. The area requested for new licenses in Chungcheongnam-do and Jeollabuk-do has decreased somewhat as well. In Chungcheongnam-do, 470 hectares were requested for new seaweed cultivation licenses last year, but only 350 hectares were requested this year. Jeollabuk-do requested 470 hectares last year, but did not submit an application this year. On the other hand, Incheon, which did not submit a request last year, applied for new licenses this year, and some areas in Gyeonggi Province are also known to have submitted applications for new licenses.
Due to this situation, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries has also found itself in a dilemma, as it had been promoting the expansion of cultivation sites as part of its "seaweed supply stabilization plan." The ministry had granted licenses for new cultivation sites totaling 2,700 hectares last year and is reviewing additional permits for this year.
A representative from the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries noted, "Seaweed exports are increasing this year, so it seems the government needs to expand seaweed cultivation sites, but applications have not been as plentiful as expected," adding, "With increasing export volumes, we are concerned that domestic seaweed prices might rise further." In fact, seaweed exports reached $281.38 million in the first quarter of this year, marking the highest amount ever recorded. The consumer price of seaweed remains at a level 20-30% higher than the same month last year.
However, the fishermen's position differs from that of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries. Fishermen claim that the decrease in applications for seaweed cultivation licenses is due to significant price volatility resulting from this year's good seaweed harvest. According to the Korea Maritime and Fisheries Development Institute (KMI) Fishery Observation Center, the cumulative seaweed production for 2025 is expected to be 20,515 tons, which is a 34.6% increase compared to last year and a 37.7% increase compared to the average year. Production has increased in all regions, with the leading production area of Jeollanam-do recording more than double the volume compared to the same month last year, at 28,220 tons.
Due to the increase in production, the price of fresh seaweed has also dropped significantly. In March, the auction price for fresh seaweed was 1,483 won per kilogram, down 42% compared to the same month last year. In April, it fell to 1,078 won, 54.3% lower than April of the previous year, when it was 2,362 won. However, despite the increase in fresh seaweed production, the facilities for producing dried seaweed have not kept pace, and due to price adjustments by distributors, the price of dried seaweed remains high.
A representative from a local government stated, "From the end of last year to early this year, favorable weather conditions for seaweed cultivation continued, and the cultivation area increased somewhat, while illegal seaweed cultivation sites emerged in some areas aiming for revenue." They added, "With the good harvest, fresh seaweed disposal, and declining auction prices, fishermen's complaints grew, leading to a decrease in new cultivation site applications." Another local government representative also mentioned, "In some areas, fishermen are encouraging each other not to apply for new cultivation sites to protect the seaweed price."
The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries intends to consider not only the supply and demand situation but also the fishermen's viewpoint. The ministry plans to announce its new license issuance plan in June, based on the applications collected by local governments and a comprehensive review of regional situations and supply and demand trends. A ministry official stated, "We intend to reflect on the supply and demand situation, prices, and the opinions of fishermen in our decision-making."