Busan: A major global maritime conference commenced in South Korea's southeastern port city of Busan, serving as a pivotal platform for international dialogue on the ocean's sustainable future.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the 10th Our Ocean Conference (OOC) began under the theme "Our Ocean, Our Action" at BEXCO, located approximately 325 kilometers southeast of Seoul. The two-day event has attracted around 2,300 officials, including government delegates from 100 countries, alongside leaders from international institutions and nongovernmental organizations, as reported by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries.
Among the notable participants were former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, who played a key role in establishing the conference, and Peter Thomson, the United Nations (U.N.) secretary-general's special envoy for the ocean. Oceans Minister Kang Do-hyung, in his opening address, highlighted the challenges posed by rising sea levels, marine pollution, and depletion of fishery resources, urging the need for a robust and innovative action plan to address these issues.
This year's conference is set to explore seven topics, including marine protected areas, sustainable fisheries, marine pollution, maritime security, and digital oceans. As the host nation, South Korea intends to introduce the "Korea Blue Action Plan," supported by a 3.7 trillion won (US$2.57 billion) investment, encompassing 76 pledges aimed at enhancing the ocean sector's sustainability.
The proposed pledges aim to expand marine protected areas worldwide to meet the "30 by 30" initiative, which targets designating 30 percent of land and oceans as protected areas by 2030. Additionally, efforts will be made to promote eco-friendly fuels for vessels and mitigate marine plastic pollution.
In March, South Korea ratified a U.N. agreement on the sustainable use of marine biological diversity, marking it as the first East Asian country to do so. Complementing this, the nation plans to designate over 2,000 square kilometers of new marine protected areas within the year, with plans for further expansion annually, as explained by Kang.
South Korea will also advance sustainable fisheries as the sole Asian member of the Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing Action Alliance. Kang emphasized the importance of international cooperation in areas like vessel information management, fishing activities, and seafood supply chains, leveraging existing legal frameworks.
On the industrial front, Kang urged the private sector to boost investment in "green shipping," which aims to reduce the environmental impact of freight transportation. Concurrently, the oceans ministry is scheduled to host a business summit focusing on the shipping, shipbuilding, and digital ocean industries.
In addition, South Korea will convene the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Oceans-related Ministerial Meeting on Wednesday and Thursday in Busan, preceding the APEC summit slated for later in the year.