Partial Amendment to the Public Waters Management and Reclamation Act

This member's bill proposes to redirect 50% of seabed usage fees and charges collected from offshore wind power installation and operation in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) from the national government to the nearest metropolitan or provincial government, rather than having all fees accrue to the state. The amendment aims to provide financial benefits to fishing communities directly affected by offshore wind development and improve local acceptance of such projects, which have been expanding into deeper waters.

The current Act provides that the exclusive economic zone and public waters prescribed by Presidential Decree are managed by the Minister of Oceans and Fisheries, and that occupancy or use fees (hereinafter referred to as "occupancy or use fees, etc.") collected based on permission for occupancy or use of public waters granted by the Minister of Oceans and Fisheries are State revenue, but expressly provides that, where occupancy or use fees, etc. are collected for the extraction of aggregate or minerals in the exclusive economic zone, an amount equivalent to 50/100 of such occupancy or use fees, etc. is the revenue of nearby local governments.

Meanwhile, as offshore wind power generation businesses have recently become larger in scale and moved farther offshore, the installation of new and renewable energy facilities in the exclusive economic zone has been increasing. However, because the current Act provides that occupancy or use fees, etc. arising in the exclusive economic zone are State revenue, there are no financial benefits whatsoever returning to fishers who suffer direct damage from offshore wind power generation businesses, which makes it difficult to secure acceptance by residents of offshore wind power generation businesses.

The first paragraphs of the bill's own statement, in KWI's English translation. The full statement and bill text are in the English translation PDF.

1. Received
2. In review
3. Enacted