Sokcho's Daepo Port named No. 1 national hub fishing port

Daepo Port in Sokcho has been selected as a national hub fishing port development site, ranking first among all applicants nationwide.

In the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries' final evaluation for the national hub fishing port development project, Daepo Port received the highest score among 11 ports that applied from across the country.

According to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and Gangwon Province, the competition drew fierce interest from ports nationwide. In July, the ministry conducted written and on-site evaluations, through which Sokcho's Daepo Port, Dangjin's Janggo Port and Jindo's Seomang Port were shortlisted as preliminary candidates.

Following a final evaluation that assessed the feasibility of each development plan, site conditions and projected ripple effects, Daepo Port claimed the top spot. As the sole first-place finisher among the three preliminary candidates, Daepo Port is also the only one to have secured a related budget for this year, allowing design work to begin immediately.

Following the final selection, a total of 95 billion won ($70.7 million) will be invested in the Daepo Port area. Key projects include construction of a production-area seafood distribution center, development of a youth sea village, establishment of a cold-chain system with low-temperature and eco-friendly fish auction facilities, expansion of vessel berthing infrastructure and modernization of safety facilities, and creation of marine waterfront spaces and tourism amenities.

A separately tendered youth sea village development project has been folded into the national hub fishing port master plan to maximize synergies. Under that initiative, 10 billion won will fund construction of rental housing for young residents and shared community facilities, with tailored employment programs and fisheries technology training linked to the project to inject sustainable vitality into the fishing village.

Gangwon Province plans to use the project as a springboard to transform Daepo Port from a simple fishing harbor into a core economic hub on the East Sea coast — one where seafood logistics and marine tourism are organically integrated. The province envisions developing the port into a flagship marine complex that generates new added value for the regional economy.

"Building on this achievement, which recognizes both Gangwon Province's maritime and fisheries capabilities and the future value of Daepo Port, we will drive innovation at the port and lead a new leap forward for Gangwon's East Sea coast," Gangwon Province Governor Woo Sang-ho said. "We will push forward the 95 billion won project at pace, raise the port's industrial competitiveness to the next level, and complete it as a sustainable marine economy hub where fisheries and tourism grow together."

Gangwon Province had been in ongoing talks with related ministries to advance Daepo Port's elevation to a national hub fishing port, reviewing government policy directions and evaluation criteria to make the case for the port's development. The province's marine and fisheries bureau and Sokcho City Hall worked as one team throughout the evaluation process, jointly analyzing the site and mapping out the implications for future development.