On Wednesday, July 9, the NEAR Secretariat participated in a brown bag meeting hosted by the East Sea Headquarters of Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, at the main conference room of Pohang Yeongil New Port Co., Ltd. The meeting focsed on strategic planning for Pohang Yeongilman Port in preparation for the era of the Arctic Sea Route.
Participants included: Mrs. Choi Ju-hwa, Director of International Cooperation, and Mrs. Son Ga-yeong, Head of Planning and Promotion from the NEAR Secretariat, as well as representatives from the Gyeongsangbuk-do Provincial Government, Pohang Regional Office of Oceans and Fisheries, Pohang City Government, Gyeongbuk Research Institute, Pohang Yeongil New Port Co., Ltd., Dongbang Co., Ltd., and others.
This brown bag meeting was convened in response to the Korean government's designation of Arctic Sea Route Development Project as a national policy agenda under the new administration. In this context, Gyeongsangbuk-do aims to position Pohang Yeongilman Port—the nearest international container terminal along the Arctic Sea Route—as a key gateway port. To support this initiative, the province invited Professor Nam Hyung-sik of Korea Maritime and Ocean University, an expert in shipping and logistics, to share his insights and help establish strategic directions for the port's future development.
※ Suggested strategies for revitalizing Pohang Yeongilman Port included supporting energy transport, bulk cargo, and cruise industries, as well as proposing business models for workforce development, ship repair, and the establishment of fisheries processing complexes.
The NEAR Secretariat also announced its intention to leverage the NEAR platform to promote sustainable cooperative projects related to the Arctic Sea Route, aiming to enhance exchanges among member governments from Russia, China, Korea, Japan, and beyond.