The Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) is an international NGO dedicated to environmental conservation and human rights issues, with a particular focus on marine conservation. Woojin Chung is a Senior Campaigner at EJF’s Korea office, leading efforts to improve transparency, traceability, and human rights protections in the South Korean fisheries industry. We spoke with her about the significance of these initiatives in a country that plays a major role in Asia’s fisheries sector.
Woojin Chung
Senior Campaigner, Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF), Korea Office. Previously worked at the South Korean Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, handling seafood trade and tariff negotiations, and later as a program manager for port development aid projects. Before that, she served as a naval officer, assisting in classified information-sharing between the South Korean and U.S. navies.
— You initially served in the navy, then moved to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, and now work with an NGO. What first sparked your interest in marine resources and sustainability?
I’ve always loved the sea, but the reason I joined the navy was because of my mentor, Pastor Abraham Park, who encouraged me. I studied English and Korean interpretation at university, and from early on, I aspired to work in a field that connected South Korea with the global community. The navy was my first opportunity to do so, and I was assigned as an interpreter.
Although life in the navy was tough, I had valuable experiences and encounters. During a mission to visit the naval fleet patrolling the west coast of Korea, I witnessed firsthand how the waters near the North-South border were rich in crabs and how patrolling illegal fishing vessels had become a routine task. At times, encounters with foreign illegal fishing boats turned into intense clashes. Our patrol boats would be met with resistance—fishermen would throw harpoons or whatever they had on hand to fend us off. Sometimes, coastal guard ships and South Korean fishing boats had to defend themselves together.
At that time, I didn’t even know the term IUU (Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated) fishing, but witnessing these events firsthand made me realize how serious the issue was. That was the first time I became aware of the importance of protecting our nation’s fisheries resources and eradicating illegal fishing.
— So, your interest in fisheries conservation began with firsthand experience in the field.
Yes, this happened around 2011. I left the navy in 2013, and my next job was at the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, where I worked on document preparation and negotiation support for Free Trade Agreements (FTAs). I participated in negotiations with Indonesia, Vietnam, Canada, New Zealand, and other countries almost every month. When I brought up IUU fishing issues in presentations, some parties reacted defensively.
What stood out to me during these negotiations was that every country treats its seafood as an invaluable resource.
One particularly heated topic in FTA negotiations was whether fisheries products caught within an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)* should belong to the coastal country or to the nation of the fishing vessel. My job was to research past cases of maritime law and international treaties and prepare persuasive materials for our arguments.
As I delved deeper into various fisheries management policies, I became strongly interested in marine law. Eventually, I found the work of merely coordinating negotiations unsatisfying and left my job to pursue further studies in maritime law.
— So, your growing interest led you to seek more knowledge.
Yes. I studied international maritime law at the University of Wollongong in Australia. After returning to Korea, I worked on port development projects, similar to Japan’s JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) programs. Although I was employed by a government-affiliated organization, I was dispatched to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and worked at its headquarters again. My responsibilities ranged from pre-project assessments to financing and implementation.
The work was interesting, but I always felt conflicted. In all my previous government roles, the ocean was seen as a resource to be exploited and developed, with little consideration for marine conservation or sustainability.
One major turning point for me was a port project in Madagascar. The proposed site was a beautiful coastal area, and I felt a different approach was necessary. I advised my superior that an environmental assessment and consultation with local indigenous communities were crucial. Unfortunately, my concerns were largely ignored. So, I took matters into my own hands—I contacted the African Development Bank outside of work hours.
— You reached out without any prior connection?
Yes. I introduced myself and explained that if they could conduct an environmental assessment, South Korea could evaluate its support based on the results. The proposal was accepted, and the African Development Bank conducted the assessment, which South Korea later agreed to follow. This led to a formal agreement in 2021.
By that point, I was more passionate about environmental conservation than development. That’s when I discovered the job opening at EJF’s Korea office. The role was a perfect match for my interests, so I applied immediately in 2021.
— Can you briefly explain what EJF does?
EJF is an international NGO with 17 offices worldwide and about 140 staff members. Its largest Asian base is in Bangkok, with additional offices in Indonesia, the Philippines, Korea, and Taiwan.
EJF focuses on protecting natural environments and human rights, with a major emphasis on combatting IUU fishing and supporting coastal communities. For example, in Africa, we collect evidence of illegal fishing by foreign vessels and present reports and videos to top government decision-makers.
One of EJF’s most impactful moments came before I joined. In 2013, South Korea received a Yellow Card from the EU due to IUU fishing violations.*
— We remember hearing about that, but South Korea’s rapid response was surprising.
The incident began when a Korean fishing fleet traveled to the West African coast to trawl for Yellow Croaker. It’s a popular fish in Korea. The vessels may not have realized their fishing practices were illegal, but it was EJF’s report and video evidence that led the EU to issue a Yellow Card against Korea. At the time, I was working at the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, and I remember how the entire department went into an uproar over the issue.
In response, the Korean government worked not only with the EU but also with the NGO EJF to lift the Yellow Card. Steve Trent, EJF’s Executive Director, visited Seoul and signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries. He also proposed strengthening regulations on distant-water fisheries and increasing transparency in the seafood supply chain. Following a series of reforms, Korea’s fisheries regulations saw major changes. The EJF Korea office, which was established during this time, has continued collaborating with the government to improve fisheries regulations.
One of the defining aspects of EJF is how it connects environmental conservation with human rights issues. When its founder, Steve Trent, first focused on this connection in 2000, very few people were discussing the two issues together.
I once asked Steve why he saw them as interconnected. His answer was simple: “Because I witnessed both being violated at the same time.” He had seen cases where illegal deforestation was accompanied by the exploitation of children and migrant workers, who were forced to work without pay. He realized that slave labor and environmental destruction always happen together, which is why he believed both must be tackled simultaneously.
— That makes sense. Addressing them together sounds like a practical approach.
Another distinctive aspect of EJF’s work is its focus on producing videos in addition to publishing reports. When we highlight issues like IUU fishing, we film interviews with migrant workers, allowing them to share their personal experiences. These interviews are then edited into five-minute short films, which we present to high-level policymakers to emphasize the urgent need for change.
— That’s true—busy decision-makers are much more likely to watch a five-minute video.
— And within these efforts, what role do you personally play?
South Korea has the fourth largest number of fishing boats in the world, following China, Taiwan, and Japan. The largest fishing fleets in the world are all based in Asia, which is why EJF focuses its efforts on major fishing nations.
Currently, we are working not only on Korean fisheries operations but also on improving traceability within the domestic seafood market. Last year, we investigated seafood imports and found that a significant amount of IUU-derived seafood was entering the Korean market. In response, we recommended strengthening traceability management to the government. As a result, the Korean government incorporated a catch certification scheme into its plans in March 2024, which I consider a major achievement.
Another key focus is human rights. We compiled interviews with migrant fishers and supported their testimonies with documented evidence, which we then published as a report. As a result, in November 2023, discussions began between the government, industry leaders, and NGOs. By March of the following year, the government and NGOs jointly announced a plan to improve labor conditions for migrant fishers working on Korean distant-water vessels.
— Did you face any resistance or pushback from the government when working as an NGO?
In fact, in 2022, Korea was downgraded from Tier 1 to Tier 2 in the U.S. State Department’s Trafficking in Persons Report for the first time in 20 years due to human rights issues in the seafood industry. Additionally, in September 2023, the UN Human Rights Council sent an official letter to the Korean government regarding these concerns. Without this kind of external pressure, it is unlikely that the government would have sought assistance from an NGO. Since it was EJF’s report that first brought these violations to light, officials reached out to us, asking for recommendations on how to improve the situation.
That being said, a lot depends on the government officials in charge at the time. In Korea, officials are rotated to new positions every two years, which can make it difficult to build consistent partnerships. Fortunately, we were lucky to have open-minded and proactive government officials who were willing to work with us.
In Part 2, Ms. Chung discussed IUU countermeasures, changes in Korea’s fisheries industry, and her aspirations for the broader Asia region, including international conferences such as the 2025 Our Ocean Conference (OOC). She also expressed her hopes for Korea-Japan cooperation in addressing key challenges.
Original Japanese text: Keiko Ihara
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