Busan Metropolitan City’s Facility Management Office for the Distribution of International Fisheries Products was created to increase the city’s competitive edge in the global fisheries industry by responding actively to rapid changes in domestic and international distribution such as the FTA expansion, to safely supply food products through reform of the distribution system, and most importantly, to develop Busan into the most important international fisheries trade center in north east Asia.

Busan International Fish Market acquired the waters east of Gamcheon Port, securing a total of 112,000m2 of land. Construction began in January 2001 and the market was opened in September 2008. The Fish Market is divided into the Market Center Building, the Wholesale Market Building, Frozen and Cold Storage Building, the Live Fish Fostering Facility, the Parking Lot, and the breakwater jetty.

The Market Center Building houses around 60 fisheries-related entities, including a customs center, immigration center, food and drug safety center, and other related organizations, forming a one-stop shop for administrative support in handling customs clearance and other procedures.

Facilities include an international conference room with interpretation services, a disaster prevention center, a public relations center, and a convenience store, as well as employee and visitor parking spaces for approximately 1,500 cars.

The Wholesale Market Building plays a vital role in the Fish Market and has toplight windows to allow natural light in and for ventilation purposes, creating a clean, open space. The auction site and breakwater jetty on the first floor is divided into four sections to facilitate smooth auctions and are linked with two international fisheries handling companies to form two markets trading on average 10,000 tons of fisheries products per month.

In order to speed up the logistics process and thus create more of a competitive edge, a one-way logistics system has been introduced following the results of a logistics simulation. An electronic auction and integrated automated management system has been put in place to enable transparent, stable trades of fish products.

160 wholesale stores can be found on the second floor of the building, while the third floor houses the wholesale office and an observation deck overlooking the entire Gamcheon Port.

The Frozen and Cold Storage Building is an eight-storey building containing storage rooms at temperatures ranging from minus 20 to minus 50 degrees celsius. The facility is capable of producing 100 tons of ice per day and storing 700 tons, and an ice breaking machine also enables the supply of ice to the markets and ships.

There are a total of 28 tanks in the Live Fish Fostering Facility to the south of the site, with coolers and oxygen generators to control the water temperatures. Imported live fish customs clearance and temporary storage can also be found here.

The second floor of the building houses a dormitory for loaders and unloaders, providing 24 hour convenience for the workers. Waste water from the wholesale market is connected to a central sewage treatment facility nearby.

The jetty and two docks protrude from the shoreline, allowing fishing boats to moor and unload their catch. It is 130 meters long and 70 to 80 meters wide, allowing up to 18 300-ton ships to dock simultaneously. Completed in August 2017, it ensures that fish products are auctioned quickly to maintain freshness and will be an important factor in increasing competitiveness in the international fisheries wholesale market.

After acquiring further waters up to the east breakwater, the Advanced Seafood Processing Complex was opened in February 2014. A one-stop shop linked to the international fisheries wholesale market, it was built to reduce logistics and management expenses and help increase global competitiveness through integration and creating ties between related small and medium size businesses.

The Advanced Seafood Processing Complex is an apartment-type processing factory with seven floors capable of housing 56 seafood processing companies across a range of business types. It is divided into four sections—fish cakes, dried fish and shells, other processed seafood products, and salted products—to ensure maximum productivity and efficiency. High quality is maintained through advanced manufacturing techniques and sales strategies.

A one-way route has been set up to ensure fast product movement on land and sea, with vertical logistics equipment being distributed to a range of sites for added convenience. Trucks and cars are also divided into separate lanes to increase efficiency and safety.

Considering one of the most important factors in processed seafood products is freshness, the modernized, cutting edge Advanced Seafood Processing Complex was built to HACCP standards so that processing takes place in a hygienic, safe environment.

The factory is a cold zone that keeps products at their best and freshest. The one-directional line maximizes work efficiency and is divided into preprocessing, processing, and packing in order to prevent cross-contamination at the source.

The Fishery Products Research Center plays a key role within the Advanced Seafood Processing Complex and uses a joint production system for manufacturing test products to create added value and competitiveness in the fishery products industry. It also provides food safety support in areas such as new product development, HACCP certification consulting, and establishing expiration dates. The import/export information center provides support and consulting in import/export related matters while the public relations center and conference rooms serve to provide product marketing and business support for businesses on site.

In addition, the various welfare facilities provide a clean working environment for employees.

As the largest strategic base for fisheries products in the country, the Advanced Seafood Processing Complex will continue to help restructure the fisheries distribution system, stabilize product prices, and increase Korea’s competitive edge in international fisheries distribution.


In the 21st century, we are moving beyond just being the key player in the international fisheries trade in north east Asia. At the Busan Facility Management Office for the Distribution of International Fisheries Products, our plan is to make the International Fish Market and Advanced Seafood Processing Complex the best in the world and lead the fisheries industry into a new era.