Sungkyunkwan University said Monday it signed a memorandum of understanding with Wando County in South Jeolla Province to jointly advance marine research and develop an offshore seaweed farming testbed aimed at expanding Korea’s blue carbon capacity. Under the agreement signed on Jan. 6, the two sides will establish and operate an offshore experimental marine plant farm near Cheongsan Island, aiming to strengthen research infrastructure and accelerate commercialization. The marine plant biomass production research group, in which the university participates, was established under a Korea–U.S. joint initiative led by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries to develop technologies for seaweed biomass production. The five-year project aims to lay the groundwork for carbon neutrality by advancing the scientific use and industrialization of the carbon absorbed and stored by marine ecosystems, known as blue carbon. More than 30 domestic institutions, including Sungkyunkwan University, are participating, with total funding reaching 41 billion won ($ 27.9 million). The research group will estab