The Vietnam News Agency (VNA) on June 3 quoted  South Korean Minister of Oceans and Fisheries Kang Do-hyung as saying that the Republic of Korea (RoK) supports Vietnam's efforts in fighting illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing activities, as recommended by the European Commission (EC).  

According to VNA, during a recent interview granted to VNA correspondents based in Seoul, Mr. Kang described Vietnam as a major seafood trading partner.

In 2023, Vietnam was the third largest seafood exporter to South Korea, with a value of roughly $800 million, primarily consisting of shrimp, shrimp meat, and octopus, he said, adding that Vietnam is also the fifth largest source of seafood imports from the RoK, valued at some $240 million in 2023.

The RoK Government plans to work with major Korean companies like Lotte Mart in Ho Chi Minh City to launch trade promotion initiatives that will benefit both Vietnamese seafood producers and Korean consumers, he revealed.

The interview also shed light on ongoing technical cooperation projects between the two countries.

"The RoK's National Institute of Fisheries Science and Vietnam's Research Institute for Aquaculture are currently engaged in a project to enhance aquaculture productivity in the northern Vietnamese provinces of Nam Dinh and Ninh Binh", Minister Kang said.

This project, according to the minister, valued at 3 billion KRW ($2.1 billion) and running from 2022 to 2026, aims to improve aquaculture practices through technology transfer. He reaffirmed the RoK's commitment to building long-term partnerships with Vietnam to develop a sustainable aquaculture sector.

Presenting the RoK’s ongoing efforts and experiences against IUU fishing, he said the RoK Government advocates for upholding the rule of law, information sharing, public awareness campaigns, and refraining from violence in enforcement efforts.

He expressed wish for joint work with Vietnam in this regard, saying that the RoK will also collaborate to strengthen the capabilities of Asian countries like Vietnam to address IUU fishing.