Oyster farms in Gadeokdo Island, Busan, South Korea.
Photo: Adobe Stock.
South Korea is the world's third largest oyster exporter after France and China, and now has set its sights on the top spot, targeting USD 160 million in exports by 2030.
On 9 January, South Korea’s Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF) unveiled an ambitious Development Plan for the Oyster Aquaculture Industry, outlining three key strategies to reach its goal of by modernizing production, expanding market reach - particularly targeting the lucrative European market - and enhancing pollution prevention, sanitation and safety in the industry.
The new plan aims to boost annual oyster production from 300,000 tons in 2023 to 400,000 tons by 2030, doubling exports in the same period to reach a value of USD 160 million in 2030. In 2022, the global market size for oysters was valued at USD 600 million.
“Unlike other seafood, oysters are widely consumed worldwide, making them a significant opportunity for Korean companies to enter the international market. With these measures, we will transform the traditional oyster industry into an automated, smart industry producing high-quality, safe oysters while strengthening Korea’s industrial competitiveness to become the world’s number one oyster exporter,” South Korean Minister of Fisheries Kang Do-hyung said in a government press release.
The plan proposes establishing dedicated oyster aquaculture ports and facilities in major production regions, including Tongyeong, Geoje, and Yeosu, to centralize and streamline production. The South Korean government also intends to establish approximately 400 oyster peeling plants at locations across these regions.
The proposed facilities will also house processing plants and seed production farms, and the Ministry said it aimed to modernize the industry with "automatic and smart oyster production processes" for the sector, which is currently primarily dependent on manual labour. This would include improvements such as conveyor belts and customized equipment such as shell removers, washers and automatic sorters, located in shared workplaces. Work vessels equipped to harvest and wash oysters at sea will further enhance productivity, the Ministry said.
The South Korean government also said it would "accelerate the installation of facilities to prevent the penetration of pollutants from land and sea, preserve clean oyster waters, and produce safe oysters", complemented by increased sewage system coverage in production areas.
The development plan also supports processing of byproducts through an oyster shell recycling facility, completed in November 2024, which will repurpose shells as auxiliary materials for use in other sectors such as steel mills, power plants, and construction.
To boost domestic consumption of oysters, the Ministry said that efforts will focus on diversifying oyster products and promoting new cooking methods. Support for food processing companies will encourage the development of processed oyster items, while consumer promotion funds will see a significant increase.
In order to appeal to European markets, which tend to favour high-value single oysters, the Ministry of Fisheries plans to transition 30% of the country's total oyster production to single oysters by 2030, currently accounting for just 1%.
Existing export markets, including the United States and Japan, which together account for 71% of exports, will also see additional support, and exporters will receive financial assistance to obtain international certifications, the Ministry said.
