○ The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (Minister Kang Do-hyung) announced that the Incheon International Ocean Forum 2025, co-hosted by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and Incheon Metropolitan City (Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok) and organized by the Incheon Port Authority (President Lee Kyung-gyu) and Yonhap News Agency (President and CEO Hwang Dae-il), will take place at Songdo ConvensiA in Incheon from Thursday, July 3, to Friday, July 4.

○ Launched in 2020, the Incheon International Ocean Forum is the largest maritime business event in the Seoul metropolitan area. Under the main theme of “Waving Economy – Rebound of the Ocean Industry,” this year’s forum will feature a total of five regular sessions, one special session, and side events, including logistics industry dialogues and maritime career counseling.

○ The forum will commence with an online keynote lecture by world-renowned economic and social theorist Jeremy Rifkin, titled “Life and the Future of the Ocean in Planet Aqua: Rethinking the Role of Ports and Shipping.”

○ Following the keynote, the forum will host regular sessions covering △ Maritime Logistics – Smart Decisions, Resilient Supply Chain, △ Ocean Environment and Climate – Arctic Sea Route Development and Sustainable Marine Industry through Blue Carbon, △ Ocean Energy – Digital Transition in Ocean Energy and Regional Ocean Industry Ecosystem Revitalization, △ Ocean Tourism – The Future Growth Engine of the Ocean, Expanding the Cruise Industry through Northeast Asian Cooperation, and △ Smart Port – AI-Powered Smart Ports for Supply Chain Resilience. Additionally, a special session will explore the long-term vision for Incheon Port, drawing on Japan’s port development as a case study.

○ This year’s forum will feature the “Maritime Industry Information and Career Counseling Pavillion,” providing young talents public-sector job dex-scriptions and career guidance, fostering connections between promising individuals and maritime industry employers.

○ Kang Do-hyung, Minister of Oceans and Fisheries, stated, “The Incheon International Ocean Forum serves as a collaborative platform where industry, academia, research institutions, and government unite to shape the future of the maritime industry and address complex challenges.” He added, “We aim to develop strategies to navigate global supply chain dynamics, economic uncertainties, and technological transitions.”

○ Lee Kyung-kyu, President of the Incheon Port Authority, added, “As the Incheon International Ocean Forum solidifies its position as the premier maritime forum in the Seoul metropolitan area, we hope it will inspire new perspectives on the ocean’s value through the active participation of industry experts and the general public, especially young talent.”