Pukyong National University

"The establishment of FAO World Fisheries University will surely contribute to the international community."
A visit of Moon Seong-hyeok, the Minister of Oceans and Fisheries, at PKNU for an inspection of the FAO World Fisheries University pilot project

△ Minister Moon Seong-hyeok is taking a commemorative photo with students of FAO World Fisheries University, which is currently under a pilot project. ⓒ Photo by Lee Sung-jae (PR Team)

Minister of Oceans and Fisheries, Moon Seong-hyeok, visited Yongdang Campus of Pukyong National University in Nam-gu, Busan on the afternoon of 16, October and had a look around the site of the FAO World Fisheries University which is UN joint pilot run.

The World Fisheries University is a postgraduate university under the Masters’ Program under the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to strengthen the fisheries' capacity of developing countries. Prior to the official establishment, a joint pilot project between FAO and Korea has been underway at Pukyong National University since March this year. Currently, 30 students from 22 countries, including Africa, Asia, the Middle East, South America, and Pacific Islands, are completing master's programs in aquaculture technology, fisheries resource management, and fisheries social science.

Minister Moon said at a meeting with students that day, "In order to share Korea's economic growth experience with other countries through education of fisheries-related personnel, FAO and World Fisheries University are currently being established," he added, "Despite the COVID-19 situations, I am deeply grateful to all of you who are studying hard in Korea, far from where you were born. Through the World Fisheries University, your role is very important to nurture talents in developing countries and contribute to the development of developing countries and the international community."

Minister Moon said, "Korea is currently the 12th largest country in the world economy and is leading the world's culture and content with the Korean Wave culture represented by K-pop. However, in the 1960s, Korea was a poor country with a per capital GDP of over a hundred US dollars." and he explained, "In 1965, Korea established a fishery education center with 1 million US dollars FAO and UN Development Program (UNDP) project, and the people who had been trained there led the growth of the fishery industry, leading to Korea today," he stressed the importance of fisheries technology.

Minister Moon is a professor at the Swedish World Maritime University (WMU), an educational institution under the UN IMO (International Maritime Organization), a role model for the World Fisheries University. He answered a student's question about 'the contribution of WMU graduates to their home country and the international community', "So far, more than 5,000 WMU master's and doctoral graduates from 170 countries have been remarkably active in various fields such as governments, universities, companies, and international organizations," he added, "You and the graduates of World Fisheries University will contribute to their home country and the international community through activities in various fields such as the government, research institutes, the private sector, and NGO," he delivered words of encouragement.

Jang Young-soo, the 7th President-elect of Pukyong National University, Lee Sang-go, Dean of the World Fisheries Graduate school of Pukyong National University, Woo Dong-sik, Director General of International Cooperation Policy Bureau of the Ministry Oceans and Fisheries (MOF), Park Gyeong-cheol, Administrator of the Busan Regional Office of Oceans and Fisheries and Yim Jeong-hyeon, Section Chief of Fisheries Policy Division at Busan Metropolitan City attended the event. <Pukyong Today>


△ Minister Moon Seong-hyeok is having a round-table conference.


△ Participants of the event, including Minister Moon Seong-hyeok (3rd from left) and President-elect Jang Young-soo (3rd from right), are taking commemorative photos.