Minister Won Hee-ryong Leads Civil-Government Delegation, Challenges 8th Term as ICAO Council Member

[Asia Economy Reporter Minyoung Kim] The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced on the 26th that a public-private delegation led by Minister Won Hee-ryong will attend the '41st International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Assembly' held in Montreal, Canada, starting on the 27th, aiming to achieve an eighth consecutive term as an ICAO Council member.

ICAO is a specialized agency under the UN, established in 1947 to promote the development of international civil aviation, currently active with 193 member countries. South Korea joined in 1952.

The ICAO Council consists of 36 countries elected by member states through voting at the triennial Assembly. It is the highest decision-making body encompassing legislation, judiciary, and administration in civil aviation, responsible for executing policy directions and work plans delegated by the Assembly, adopting international standards, and arbitrating aviation disputes between countries. South Korea has maintained its Council membership since 2001 and is challenging for an eighth consecutive term in this year's Council election.

South Korea shares Flight Information Regions (FIR) borders with China, Japan, and North Korea, where sensitive incidents frequently occur, such as unauthorized incursions by Chinese military aircraft, missile provocations by North Korea, and Japanese aircraft attempts to fly near Dokdo. Maintaining South Korea's ICAO Council membership is crucial to address security threats through international organizations and to ensure economic benefits by maintaining civil aviation safety.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport will dispatch a public-private delegation led by Minister Won Hee-ryong to protect South Korea's rights in the international civil aviation sector and reaffirm its status in the international community by actively engaging in lobbying efforts for Council election support.

First, Minister Won Hee-ryong plans to meet with key ICAO officials such as Salvatore Sciacchitano, President of the Council, and Juan Carlos Salazar, Secretary General, to emphasize support for ICAO's vision, strategic goals, and major policies, as well as Korea's efforts, role, and the justification for the Council membership renewal.

Additionally, he will sign a memorandum of understanding for hosting the '2023 Global Implementation Support Symposium' domestically, aimed at supporting ICAO's transition policy through participation in the 'Digital Transformation Fund,' enhancing aviation personnel capabilities, and strengthening inter-country cooperation. In his speech at the Assembly plenary session, he will emphasize Korea's aviation development, cooperation among ICAO member states, and contributions to the international aviation community, actively requesting the maintenance of Korea's Council membership.

He will also seek meetings with chairs and secretaries-general of regional civil aviation committees representing regional opinions within ICAO, as well as transport ministers and chief representatives from major member countries such as the United States, Canada, the Netherlands, Singapore, and Saudi Arabia.

In particular, he plans to sign a memorandum of understanding with the chair of the African regional civil aviation committee, which represents the African region, to expand mutual technical support cooperation and establish specialized training courses.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will jointly hold a Korean night cultural event locally in Montreal.

Hadongsoo, Director of the Aviation Policy Bureau at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, said, "Amid major powers, it is more important than ever to renew our Council membership at this Assembly to protect our safety and aviation rights and to secure a foothold for upgrading the Council seat. We plan to concentrate all our efforts on active lobbying until the election on October 4 to achieve our goal."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.