Pulmuone announced on the 23rd that it has been selected as the final contractor for the national research and development project 'Sustainable Production of Quality Seaweed Seeds and Development of Aquaculture Technologies' led by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries.
Seaweed, known as 'black semiconductor,' is a representative export item of K-food. It is currently being exported to over 120 countries, including the United States, Japan, and Southeast Asia, with a value of 1 trillion won. However, due to marine environmental risks such as climate change and algal blooms, stable production has become challenging, making aquaculture technology that ensures consistent quality throughout the year emerge as a key alternative for the next-generation seaweed industry.
According to Pulmuone, this project is a large-scale R&D project that will invest 35 billion won over the next five years. It consists of two detailed tasks: ▲ development of land-based aquaculture seaweed seeds that enable year-round production and ▲ development of related technologies and quality control.
The project will be conducted in a consortium format involving corporations. Pulmuone, along with Kongju National University, Pohang University of Science and Technology, and Daesang, will form a consortium to participate in the 'technology development and quality control for year-round production of seaweed,' leading the research and development as a performing organization.
Pulmuone stated that the final selection of this government project is an achievement made amid fierce competition among major food companies in the country. It was reported that a concrete and actionable R&D plan to establish a demonstration center in Saemangeum with its own budget received high praise.
Through this project, Pulmuone plans to establish a large-scale demonstration complex in Saemangeum by 2029 and begin full-scale research and development for the commercialization of seaweed aquaculture technology. Ultimately, the plan is to disseminate the developed technologies to fishers and innovate the ecosystem of the entire seaweed farming industry.
Lee Woo-bong, CEO of Pulmuone, said, "We will continue to lead the sustainable future food industry through the discovery of new businesses via food tech innovation."