Harvest of Fresh Oysters Begins... Good Yields, but Consumption Concerns Linger

[Anchor]

The harvest of fresh oysters has officially begun along the southern coast of Gyeongsangnam-do, which accounts for 80 percent of South Korea's total oyster production. Despite damage from high water temperatures, the crop condition is favorable, but concerns are rising that norovirus controversies might dampen consumer demand.

Reporter Choi Hyuk-gyu from KNN.

[Reporter]

Ropes pulled up from the sea are heavily laden with oysters.

Washing machines operate continuously, and sacks are quickly filled with freshly harvested oysters.

The harvesting season has returned to the southern coast of Gyeongsangnam-do, which accounts for 80% of domestic oyster production.

In front of me, newly harvested oysters are packed in sacks.

Although there were some mortality rates this year due to high water temperatures and other factors, the surviving oysters are in good condition, as you can see.

[Kim Young-wan / Oyster Farmer: (In a typical year), when we shuck the oysters, we get about 3 kg, but this year, due to the good harvest, we are getting around 4 kg to 5 kg.]

Last year suffered a major blow as year-end consumption dropped, but prices are recovering as exports increased earlier this year in the wake of oyster mortalities in Japan.

Shucking plants where oyster shells are removed are also busy from the early morning hours.

As skillful hands pry open the shells, plump, firm flesh is revealed.

[Choi Young-sun / Oyster Shucking Plant Worker: The freshness is great. Still, we hope that consumers will eat a lot of them.]

Full-scale shipments have also begun with the first raw oyster auction ceremony, known as chomaesik.

Keeping a close eye on market reaction, authorities have further strengthened hygiene management, wary of whether past norovirus detections might shrink consumption.

[Ji Hong-tae / Chairman of the Suhyup Oyster Growers Association: As you all know, oysters from the southern coast undergo rigorous inspections by the US FDA every two years. You can truly eat them with peace of mind.]

As the weather turns colder and the kimchi-making season approaches, oyster consumption begins to increase in earnest, filling the faces of oyster-harvesting fishermen with anticipation and hope.

(Video Journalist: Jung Chang-wook / KNN)

Choi Hyuk-gyu, KNN
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.