Yoon Hwan-su, left, an affiliate professor on the Division of Organic Sciences at Sungkyunkwan College and Shin Woo-cheol, Wando County mayor, pose after signing a memorandum of understanding to collectively advance marine analysis, in Jung District, Seoul, Jan. 6. Courtesy of Sungkyunkwan College.
Sungkyunkwan College mentioned Monday it signed a memorandum of understanding with Wando County in South Jeolla Province to collectively advance marine analysis and develop an offshore seaweed farming testbed geared toward increasing Korea’s blue carbon capability.
Beneath the settlement signed on Jan. 6, the 2 sides will set up and function an offshore experimental marine plant farm close to Cheongsan Island, aiming to strengthen analysis infrastructure and speed up commercialization.
The marine plant biomass manufacturing analysis group, by which the college participates, was established beneath a Korea–U.S. joint initiative led by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries to develop applied sciences for seaweed biomass manufacturing.
The five-year undertaking goals to put the groundwork for carbon neutrality by advancing the scientific use and industrialization of the carbon absorbed and saved by marine ecosystems, often called blue carbon. Greater than 30 home establishments, together with Sungkyunkwan College, are taking part, with complete funding reaching 41 billion received ($ 27.9 million).
The analysis group will set up an offshore seaweed farming check web site in waters close to Cheongsan Island in Wando, the place seaweed aquaculture infrastructure is already nicely developed, and strengthen cooperation for its building and operation.
Key analysis goals embody figuring out new carbon sinks utilizing marine plant biomass, modernizing cultivation strategies via digital and molecular breeding applied sciences and constructing sensible offshore farming infrastructure able to working with long-distance energy and communications. The undertaking additionally goals to ascertain built-in environmental databases linking bodily and organic information to help offshore aquaculture.
The initiative follows rising worldwide recognition of marine plant’s function in carbon sequestration. In October 2025, the Intergovernmental Panel on Local weather Change reached a consensus to incorporate seaweed as a possible new carbon sink in forthcoming accounting tips.
“The partnership will assist stabilize offshore check operations whereas advancing Korea’s offshore aquaculture expertise and establishing a reputable certification system for marine plant-based blue carbon,” mentioned Yoon Hwan-su, an affiliate professor within the Division of Organic Sciences at Sungkyunkwan College and head of the analysis group.
