Despite the recent slowdown in business, the Korean market for seafood has continued to evolve and develop. Last year, the export of Korean seafood grew by about 12%.

With safety, beauty, health and convenience as its competitive factor, Korean seafood is expanding globally and attracting the interest of people around the world.

The 13^th Seoul Intl Seafood Exhibition sponsored by the Ministry of Oceans & Fisheries was held at Hall A of Coex for 3 days from Wednesday of May 10^th through Friday the 12^th.

The characteristics of this years exhibition are simple convenient seafood products due to the increase in one-person households, dual-income families, and elderly people. This trend is represented by interests given to products such as tuna and salmon steak from Dongwon Industry, abalone and shrimp with soy sauce from Masan Foods, Gunsan tongue sole grill from Gunsan Tongue Sole Promotion Agency and National Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives Gimtang, a soup made with laver.

150 businesses from 12 countries and 504 new products captivated the industry as well as consumers. As an outstanding phenomenon, 425 overseas visitors had completed advance registration, exemplifying that the show was expanding globally.

In addition, 40 people including overseas vendors, distributors, around the world who want to import Korean seafood were invited with the implementation of business matching with participating businesses 397 times, producing great expectations for increasing export levels in the future.

12 teams nationwide participated in the National cooking contest for fresh-water fish with superior health, beauty, and flavor; contest and tasting events for trout steak, soft-shelled turtle soup, Korean bullhead dish, were implemented for 10 days along with the opening, while the tuna dismantling show and cooking class pleased visitors.

The 2018 Seoul International Seafood Exhibition is planned to be held at Coex of Samsung-dong in Seoul for 3 days from May 9^th (Wed) through 11^th (Fri) next year.