Gov't to support shipbuilding projects involving Arctic routes: minister

The government will provide financial support for projects aimed at building icebreakers that will run through Arctic shipping routes, the oceans minister said Thursday, as Korea plans to begin pilot operations on the envisioned Northern shipping corridors next year. "We will invest 11 billion won ($8 million) per vessel built with icebreaking capabilities for operation on the Arctic shipping routes," Minister Chun Jae-soo said in a press conference, noting the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries has allocated funds for the project in next year's ministry budget. Chun projected that icebreakers will be able to operate in the Arctic corridors in earnest from 2030, citing a study conducted by Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), one of Korea's top tech universities. The ministry has earmarked a budget of 7.3 trillion won, including 1.66 trillion won for expanding and enhancing port infrastructure in the southeastern region in anticipation of the expansion of the Northern shipping routes, for its 2026 operations. The Lee Jae Myung administration has pledged to make the southeWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times