Kim Jong-wook, Commissioner of the Korea Coast Guard, Discusses Maritime Security Cooperation with USCG Pacific Commander

The Korea Coast Guard announced on the 3rd that Commissioner Kim Jong-wook met with Andrew Joseph Tiongson, Commander of the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Pacific Area, in San Francisco, USA, to have an in-depth discussion on the implementation plan of the Indo-Pacific strategy.

The USCG is one of the six military forces under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, dedicated to patrol and rescue missions, and is composed of the Pacific Area Command and the Atlantic Area Command.

Last April, Commander Tiongson visited the Korea Coast Guard to discuss cooperation measures for responding to international crimes such as illegal fishing and drug trafficking. Furthermore, with the aim of strengthening comprehensive maritime security cooperation, he invited Commissioner Kim to the Pacific Area Command this time.

The two heads adopted a "Joint Statement" to expand cooperation in search and rescue, maritime traffic control, maritime domain awareness (MDA), and response to international crimes. Maritime domain awareness refers to a surveillance system that monitors various maritime situations in real-time to analyze and predict impacts (threats) on security, safety, economy, and environment, enabling proactive responses.

They also discussed plans to enhance future maritime patrol capabilities, expand personnel exchanges, and conclude an information-sharing agreement.

Kim Jong-wook, Commissioner of the Korea Coast Guard, visited the United States Coast Guard (USCG) Pacific Command in San Francisco on the 3rd and signed a joint statement on maritime security cooperation with Commander Andrew Tiongson, followed by a commemorative photo.
[Photo by Korea Coast Guard]

Commissioner Kim said, "To realize freedom, peace, and prosperity at sea, we will play the role of a partner based on mutual trust and cooperation in the international community," adding, "We are strengthening multilateral cooperation not only with the United States but also with neighboring countries around the Korean Peninsula, Australia, India, Indonesia, and Vietnam."

A Korea Coast Guard official stated, "The role of the Korean Coast Guard has become even more important due to recent government core policies such as the 'Korean-style Indo-Pacific Strategy' and the announcement of the Indo-Pacific strategy implementation plan," and added, "Requests for cooperation from maritime law enforcement agencies of various countries are continuing, expecting the strengthening of Korea's role in maritime security as a global pivotal state."

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