Similar clusters are being developed in four other regions—Jeollanam-do, Gangwon-do, Gyeongsangbuk-do, and Jeju.
South Korea’s first land-based smart salmon farm, the Busan Smart Aquaculture Cluster, has been completed, marking a key step in the country’s domestic aquaculture development.
GS Engineering & Construction (GS E&C), the lead developer, unveiled the state-of-the-art recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) facility in Busan’s Gijang-gun district on December 29. The facility, developed with government support and private investment, is expected to produce up to 500 metric tons of Atlantic salmon annually, reducing South Korea’s reliance on imports.
The completion ceremony was attended by GS E&C CEO Huh Yoon-hong, officials from the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, and representatives from the Busan Metropolitan Government. “The Busan Smart Aquaculture Cluster will help propel Korea’s fisheries sector toward sustainability by advancing smart aquaculture technology,” Huh said.
The project, initiated in 2019 through GS E&C’s subsidiary Eco Aquafarm, began introducing salmon eggs earlier this year, with full-scale harvests anticipated by 2026 after the standard two-year cultivation cycle.
