▲ President Lee Jae Myung delivers a speech in Busan on May 27, 2026, in a ceremony marking South Korea's Day of Seas, which falls on May 31. (Yonhap)
▲ President Lee Jae Myung (C) and first lady Kim Hea Kyung pledge allegiance to the national flag in Busan on May 27, 2026, in a ceremony marking South Korea's Day of Seas, which falls on May 31. (Yonhap)

(LEAD) president-maritime hub

(LEAD) Lee vows efforts to foster shipping, port industries as strategic sectors

(ATTN: UPDATES with more info, photos from para 5)

SEOUL, May 27 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Jae Myung on Wednesday pledged to foster shipping and port industries as national strategic sectors in an effort to establish unhindered maritime supply routes.

Lee unveiled the plan in a speech at a ceremony in Busan marking the country's Day of Seas, which falls on Sunday, reaffirming the government's plan to establish a global maritime hub in the city and surrounding areas.

"Under the understanding that the shipping industry is not merely a logistics sector but a core industry buttressing the national economy and security, the government plans to foster the shipping and port businesses into national strategic industries," Lee said.

The president said that, as part of the effort, the government plans to help accelerate the recovery of global maritime supply chains to establish new sea supply networks that can "be completely managed on our own."

Lee stressed the importance of ensuring maritime security and leadership at a time of uncertainties stemming from shifts in the global trade order and supply chains.

Against such a backdrop, South Korea plans to become a central axis linking Eurasia and the Indo-Pacific to safeguard freedom of navigation for neighboring countries and to uphold an open trade order, the president noted.

He said the government will spare no effort in helping the maritime industry secure global leadership.

Under the global maritime hub vision, South Korea seeks to open a regular shipping route connecting the country and Europe through the Arctic region in 2030, amid growing global competition to utilize polar regions for energy, logistics and military purposes.

The president described the maritime hub plan as a survival strategy for South Korea in coping with global competition, noting that the country's southeastern region has the potential to become the world's best maritime base.

"As soon as relevant deliberations by the National Assembly are complete, the government will swiftly complete building a maritime cluster," Lee said, vowing to beef up port, airport and road infrastructure, and establish a tourist belt along the southern coast under the maritime hub vision.

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