[2026 New Year's Message] Kim Young-kyu, Chairman of the Korea Marine Products Association

Dear esteemed offshore and marine industry professionals. The hopeful new year of 2026, the year of the Tiger (丙午年), has dawned. Our offshore industry has been steadfastly safeguarding the frontline of South Korea's food security and export industry over the past 70 years, thanks to the hard work of seafarers and industry professionals who have quietly dedicated themselves at sea, even amidst numerous challenges. With the recent rise in issues surrounding food resource security due to international situations and global climate change, and considering the decreasing conditions in near-sea fishing, we can say that the importance of the offshore industry will become even more pronounced. However, the conditions of the offshore industry are not flourishing, with external environmental difficulties such as strengthened trade barriers, supply chain instability, and strengthened international norms, along with internal issues such as the instability of offshore industry management, ...