The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries unveiled Friday its road map aimed at making the nation surrounded by three seas into an ocean-powered country.

Reporting her ministry’s policies to President Park Geun-hye at Cheong Wa Dae, Minister Yoon Jin-sook said the ministry will promote four policy initiatives including reinforcement of sovereignty over the nation’s marine territories.

The ministry also plans to upgrade ocean-related industries, cultivate marine technology-driven industries, and foster marine-related tourism.

The ministry reported that it would set up a maritime police station on Ulleungdo Island this year to strengthen security for Dokdo, the nation’s easternmost islets of which Japan has laid sovereignty claims, including its surrounding waters.

As to action plans to upgrade ocean-related industries, the minister said she will make efforts to advance the nation’s leading ports as various hubs, reflecting the strengths of each port.

The ministry said it will transform Busan Port, the world’s fifth-largest container shipping port, and the adjacent area into a Northeast Asian marine logistics hub by enhancing logistics-related facilities and by attracting multinational freighters.

In addition, the ministry will inject funds to develop Ulsan Port into a Northeast Asian oil hub. Under a memorandum of understanding with the Korea National Oil Corp., Ulsan Port has already started construction on an oil storage facility.

For the nation’s future growth, the ocean ministry will capitalize on cultivating marine technology-driven industries such as the marine bio industry, which is aimed at developing new medicines or materials using marine life.

To help citizens enjoy oceans, the ministry said it will expand infrastructure for ocean-related leisure activities. In line with rising demand for such activities, the ministry will run yachting and boating programs for citizens this year, while building the supporting infrastructure. It also plans to build a national museum of ocean resources by 2014.

As one of the imminent policy tasks, the minister said she will develop measures to put the faltering shipping industry back on track. Those measures include creating a state-run agency that will financially support shipping companies through low-interest rate loans as they build container ships.

Business conditions of the nation’s shipping industry have continued to worsen over the past few years due to the fall in demand for marine freight amid the protracted global economic downturn.

By Seo Jee-yeon (jyseo@heraldcorp.com)