[Anchor]

Oysters are currently in season. In the southern coast of Gyeongsangnam-do, which accounts for 80% of domestic oyster production, the full-scale oyster harvest has begun.

Choi Hyuk-gyu from KNN reports.

[Reporter]

Oysters hang in clusters from the lines pulled up from the sea.

Washing machines run constantly, and sacks are quickly filled with fresh oysters.

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

In front of me, freshly harvested oysters are packed in bags.

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

[Kim Young-wan / Oyster Fish Farmer: (In an average year) when you shell the oysters, you get about 3 kg, but this year the crop conditions are good so you get around 4 kg to 5 kg.]

Last year suffered a major blow as year-end consumption dropped, but prices have been on a recovery trend as exports increased early this year in the wake of oyster mortality in Japan.

Oyster shucking plants are also busy from dawn.

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

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

With the first raw oyster auction of the year, known as the chomaesik, full-scale shipments have also begun.

Keeping a close eye on market response, hygiene management has been further strengthened to prevent any contraction in consumption due to past norovirus detections.

[Ji Hong-tae / President of the Suhyup Fisheries Cooperatives for Oyster Farming: As you all know, oysters from the southern coast undergo rigorous inspections by the U.S. 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 is expected to increase in earnest, filling the faces of oyster-harvesting fishermen with anticipation and hope.

(Video by: Jung Chang-wook / KNN)

Choi Hyuk-gyu, KNN