New Korean Maritime Minister Urges for Safety
South Korea's new maritime minister Yoo Ki-june urged all-out efforts to enhance maritime safety.
Calling the tragic sinking of a passenger ferry last year the result of a failure by his ministry, Ki-june said that his ministry would work to be aggressive while pursuing its goals. "In the case of safety, we must thoroughly guard against any failure," he said.
"Through a series of accidents, we have come up with a number of (safety) measures while also making significant improvements to the law and the system. But we must check thoroughly to see how such changes are actually applied out in the field," he said.
Yoo, a lawyer-turned-lawmaker, is a native of Busan, the country's largest port city. He replaced Lee Ju-young, also a Saenuri legislator, who stepped down late last year shortly after overseeing the search and rescue for victims of the Sewol sinking, one of the worst maritime disasters on record that killed more than 300 passengers, mostly high school students who were on an excursion.
The nominee for minister of oceans and fisheries is expected to bring the much needed drive for reforms. The reason why Yoo Ku-June, the nominee, has been mentioned on the candidate list each time of MOF minister’s replacement is that he has been engaged as a highly reputable shipping lawyer for long specialized in maritime affairs, and that he is a weighty politician as NAM elected for 3rd consecutive term.
