Daepo Port in Sokcho, Gangwon Province, has been named a preliminary candidate under the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries' national hub fishing port development project. A final selection is expected to be announced in September.
According to Gangwon Province on Saturday, the competition opened in February and drew applications from national fishing ports across the country. Of the 11 ports that applied, three — including Daepo Port — were shortlisted as preliminary candidates after a rigorous review that included written and on-site evaluations by the ministry.
Daepo Port was recognized for its strong location and growth potential as a leading tourism and fisheries hub on the East Sea coast.
The port drew particular praise from evaluators for its mixed-use development potential — integrating tourism, retail and processing functions alongside its existing fisheries operations.
Gangwon Province and Sokcho city have been working to develop Daepo Port into a marine fisheries and tourism hub for the East Sea region, drawing up a specialized development plan with a total project cost of 89.7 billion won ($61 million).
If selected as a national hub fishing port, the designation is expected to strengthen the fishing industry's competitiveness, draw more tourists, create local jobs and serve as a turning point for the broader East Sea coastal economy, which has been struggling in recent years.
Gangwon Province welcomed the news, saying the preliminary selection signals a positive step toward securing a major national project that could revitalize the East Sea regional economy and establish a new growth hub.
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