Sergeant Kim Changwoo of Mokpo Maritime Police Station Receives Korea Coast Guard's 'Light and Salt' Award

Achievements Including Life Jacket Distribution and Introduction of Endoscopic Cameras

Sergeant Changwoo Kim. Provided by Mokpo Coast Guard

Sergeant Kim Changwoo of the Mokpo Maritime Police Station in South Jeolla Province has been honored as the recipient of the Korea Coast Guard's 'Light and Salt' Officer Award for the first half of 2025 in recognition of his contributions to maritime safety improvement and proactive, field-oriented administration.

The Mokpo Maritime Police Station announced on August 4 that Sergeant Kim Changwoo, affiliated with the Yeonggwang Police Substation, was ultimately selected as the 'Light and Salt' Officer for the first half of 2025, an award hosted by the Korea Coast Guard.

The 'Light and Salt' Award is a program in which the Korea Coast Guard selects and rewards officers who have quietly served in their positions and devoted themselves to protecting the lives and safety of the public during the first and second halves of each year.

Sergeant Kim, in cooperation with the main station's Maritime Safety Division, applied for the 'Life Jacket Distribution Project for Elderly Solo Fishermen' as part of a support program organized by Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, securing a budget of 10 million won and thereby implementing proactive, field-centered administration.

Furthermore, he personally planned and managed every stage of the project, including comparing price quotes from life jacket suppliers, receiving and inspecting as many as 130 life jackets, and organizing distribution events for elderly recipients, leading to tangible results.

Additionally, to address the difficulty of identifying internal breach points during vessel flooding incidents, he proposed and utilized the introduction of portable endoscopic cameras, thereby contributing to enhanced maritime rescue capabilities.

In recognition of these achievements, the Korea Coast Guard selected Sergeant Kim as the recipient of the 'Light and Salt' Award, granting him the Korea Coast Guard Commissioner's Commendation and special benefits such as three days of special leave.

Sergeant Kim Changwoo expressed his gratitude, saying, "This award is not mine alone; it was made possible thanks to the support of my colleagues and local residents. I will continue to do my best to create a safer sea for everyone without losing my original determination."

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