BUSAN, South Korea — South Korea is taking another step toward producing Atlantic salmon on land after GS Engineering & Construction (GS E&C) successfully completed a demonstration project using advanced water-treatment and smart-aquaculture technology.
The company’s subsidiary, Eco Aquafarm, marked the completion Wednesday at the Busan Smart Aquaculture Cluster, showcasing Atlantic salmon raised entirely through a land-based farming system. Commercial shipments are scheduled to begin by the end of 2026.
From construction technology to ‘K-salmon’
GS E&C established Eco Aquafarm in 2020 as part of an effort to turn its water-treatment expertise into a new business in aquaculture.
Since then, the subsidiary has managed the salmon production cycle, from incubating eggs and raising young fish to controlling water quality, growing the salmon and preparing them for shipment.
The Busan facility is designed as a testbed capable of producing up to 500 tons of Atlantic salmon annually, giving GS E&C a platform to collect operational data before expanding the technology commercially.
How can salmon survive on land?
Atlantic salmon require cold, clean water, making temperature and water-quality control critical.
Eco Aquafarm uses a recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) that continuously filters and reuses water. Its system can reuse up to 99% of the water, according to GS E&C.
The company maintained water temperatures between 12 and 16 degrees Celsius, including during Korea’s summer conditions. Sensors continuously monitor factors such as water quality, salinity, dissolved oxygen and flow, while an automated system adjusts equipment based on real-time data.
That technology is particularly important because salmon move through different environments during their development, requiring careful management as they progress from freshwater to seawater conditions.
Technology could become the bigger business
The salmon project is also serving as a testing ground for GS E&C’s broader water-treatment technology.
GS E&C and Eco Aquafarm obtained patents related to recirculating aquaculture facilities in 2023 and desalination-based aquaculture facilities in 2025. The company has also applied for a patent involving underwater cameras that can assess salmon growth and help determine when fish should move to the next stage of production.
Eco Aquafarm has additionally secured seafood traceability registration and HACCP certification, while its Atlantic salmon received antibiotic-free certification earlier this year, according to Seoul Economic Daily.
Commercial shipments could be the real test
The successful demonstration gives GS E&C experience across the entire land-based farming process, but the next stage will involve moving from a demonstration facility toward commercial operations.
With shipments scheduled for late 2026, the company plans to continue improving its water treatment, salmon growth management and facility-operation technologies.
GS E&C says the accumulated technology and data could eventually support a broader land-based aquaculture platform, potentially extending beyond salmon farming.
What began as an experiment to combine construction expertise with water-treatment technology has therefore evolved into something considerably larger: a Korean attempt to build a scalable, technology-driven salmon farming model on land.
And with commercial shipments now approaching, the next question is no longer whether GS E&C can raise salmon on land — but how far its new aquaculture platform can go.
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