Issue Blue economy cooperation in seabed resources, offshore wind and smart ports

Summary

The blue, or ocean, economy is analyzed as another important space for long-term Korea-Japan cooperation. As a peninsular state and an island state heavily dependent on maritime logistics and endowed with strategic marine industries, both countries have made the ocean economy a core axis of national policy. First, there is broad scope for cooperation in energy and resources, including joint development of seabed oil, gas and rare earths and expansion of offshore wind power. Second, concrete cooperation is possible in technology development for a digital ocean economy, such as smart ports, autonomous ships and maritime communications, as well as interoperable port automation systems and a smart port network. Climate change, depletion of land resources, geopolitical conflict and changes in the international maritime order have drawn renewed global attention to the ocean's growth potential and to maritime economic security.