Operational Characteristics of the Marine Use Impact Assessment System: An Analysis of Review Records (2015–2024)

This study examines how the marine use assessment system in Korea has functioned in practice by analyzing accumulated review records as operational data rather than as a purely legal framework. Review cases of Marine Space Utilization Consultation (MSUC), Marine Space Utilization Impact Assessment (MSUIA), and Marine Environmental Impact Survey (MEIS) conducted from 2015 to 2024 were analyzed to identify temporal, spatial, and project-type trends. The results show that review cases increased overall in response to expanding marine development activities, exhibiting distinct spatial and project-type patterns. Reviews were concentrated in southern coastal areas, reflecting the distribution of ports, fishing harbors, and fishing communities. Project-type analysis indicates that national policies significantly influenced review patterns. In particular, the Fishing Village New Deal 300 Project implemented after 2019 led to a marked increase in harbor development-related reviews, especially along the southern coast. In the energy sector, offshore wind-related assessments emerged following the expansion of national renewable energy policies. However, the number of MSUIA cases remained limited due to regulatory thresholds and overlap with the Environmental Impact Assessment system. These findings demonstrate that the marine use assessment system functions not only as an environmental review mechanism but also as an empirical indicator reflecting changes in marine development demand and national marine policies.