The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs agree to work together to guarantee the safe navigation of Korean ships and sailors

- Safety inspection of Korean ships navigating the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden and opening of a hotline between MOFA and MOF.

- Agreement to strengthen cooperation between MOFA and MOF to ensure the safety of Korean shipping and sailors.

 On the morning of July 15, Vice Minister of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF) Song Myeong-dal and Second Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) Kang In-seon met at the MOF's Comprehensive Situation Room to discuss the progress of the two ministries’ joint effort to protect overseas Koreans and inspect the safety of Korean shipping and sailors in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

 Notably, Vice Minister Song emphasized that “as a safe marine fisheries industry supports the economic vitality that secures people’s livelihoods, both ministries will continue to develop a collaborative system to ensure the safety of Korean ships and sailors overseas.”

 “As 99.7% of the imports and exports that enter and exit Korea are transported by sea, strengthening our cooperation with the Ministry of Fisheries in order to respond to maritime incidents and accidents is an issue directly related with the safety of our overseas citizens, national economic security, and people’s livelihoods,” asserted Vice Minister Kang.

 As part of their cooperation, the two ministries opened a hotline between the Overseas Safety Situation Room (MOFA) and the General Situation Room (MOF) in order to facilitate exchanges of up-to-date information on ship safety. The hotline is also expected to enable faster communication in the event of an incident or accident involving Korean ships.

 Vice Minister Kang spoke directly over the phone with the Daejoyeong destroyer of the 42nd Squad of the Cheonghae Unit, which has been assigned the mission of protecting Korean ships navigating in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. Vice Minister Kang expressed his gratitude to all members of the unit for their hard work in protecting Korean ships and sailors and securing safe maritime transportation and logistics operations. He then contacted all Korean ships currently navigating the Gulf of Aden, urged them to operate safely, and informed them that MOFA and MOF are working together to closely monitor maritime incidents and accidents 24 hours a day.