Politics · South Korea · 2 days ago
Imported seafood received 25.7% of retail discount support through August
South Korea’s government runs a seafood discount program to support fishers and encourage people to buy seafood.
Through August this year, retailers received 10.53 billion won in government support for discounts on imported seafood, out of 40.915 billion won in total support.
That means imported products accounted for 25.7% of the payments.
The share was 7.3% in 2024 and 8.7% last year, according to figures obtained from the fisheries ministry by lawmaker Kang Seung-kyu.
Kang said the ministry’s estimate that the program increased fishers’ producer surplus by 136.7 billion won was hard to verify because it did not use actual sales prices or production costs.
He criticized the use of public funds for discounts on imports while saying the ministry had not checked fishers’ actual incomes.
The information provided gives no details about any next steps.
Imported seafood received 105.3 billion won, or 25.7% of government support paid to distributors through August this year.
The figures came from data submitted by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries to lawmaker Kang Seung-gyu.
The share of support going to imported seafood rose from 7.3% in 2024 to 8.7% last year.
Kang said the ministry’s analysis of the scheme’s effects had limits because it did not use actual transaction data.
He criticized the use of public funds to discount imported seafood while, he said, the ministry had not checked domestic fishers’ actual incomes.
- Who
- Imported seafood received support through the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries’ seafood discount support program.
- What
- It received 105.3 billion won, equal to 25.7% of support paid to distributors through August.
- When
- Through August this year; the figures were reported on October 10, 2026.
- Where
- South Korea.
- Why
- The program is intended to support fishers and promote seafood consumption.
Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries
Kang Seung-gyu
Effect of the program
Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries
The ministry estimated that the program increased fishers’ producer surplus by 136.7 billion won last year.
Kang Seung-gyu
Kang said the estimate had limits because it did not use actual transaction data such as fishers’ auction prices or production costs.
Use of support
Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries
The program supports fishers and promotes seafood consumption.
Kang Seung-gyu
Kang said spending 105 billion won on discounts for imported seafood made the program a promotion scheme for imported seafood rather than support for fishers.
Imported seafood accounted for 7.3% of the program’s support to distributors.
Imported seafood accounted for 8.7% of support to distributors.
Imported seafood received 105.3 billion won, or 25.7% of support paid to distributors.
Yonhap reported the figures and Kang’s criticism of the program.
- Imported seafood support through August 2026
- 105.3 billion won
- Share of distributor support
- 25.7%
- Total support paid to distributors through August 2026
- 409.15 billion won
- Imported seafood share in 2024
- 7.3%
- Imported seafood share in 2025
- 8.7%
- Estimated increase in fishers’ producer surplus last year
- 136.7 billion won
What people are saying
The ministry has never checked the actual income of domestic fishers, while it spent 10.5 billion won on discounts for imported seafood this year alone.
At this point, it would be more honest to call it a promotion scheme for imported seafood funded by taxpayers, rather than a program for mutual support with fishers.
Sources
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