From Parental Leave to Captain: Coast Guard Appoints Its First 'Mother Captain'

Inspector Ahn Suhyun Achieves Milestone with Promotion to Aircraft Captain

Ahn Suhyun, the first female fixed-wing aircraft captain promoted in the Coast Guard. Provided by the West Sea Coast Guard

The Coast Guard has appointed its first female fixed-wing aircraft captain. The person in the spotlight is Inspector Ahn Suhyun, a member of the Muan Fixed-Wing Aviation Unit.

In September of this year, Inspector Ahn officially obtained her captain qualification for the CN-235 aircraft, becoming the first female pilot trained internally by the Coast Guard to do so and marking a new milestone in the history of Coast Guard aviation.

According to the Chief of the West Sea Coast Guard, Inspector Ahn was commissioned as an officer candidate in 2012 and has since served diligently on the front lines in both maritime and land-based departments, including patrol vessels and police stations.

After completing the Coast Guard’s internal pilot training program (4th class), she acquired the CN-235 co-pilot qualification and, while gaining years of hands-on flight experience, contributed to strengthening the pilot training system by writing the sub-manual for the CN-235 model and producing emergency procedure training videos. Following a rigorous evaluation, she was promoted to fixed-wing aircraft captain.

Notably, her promotion is especially meaningful as she overcame a break in her flight career due to pregnancy, childbirth, and parental leave during captain training, yet was able to further improve her piloting skills upon returning to work. This achievement is recognized as a valuable example of enhancing the Coast Guard’s aviation capabilities and fostering a family-friendly workplace culture that supports work-life balance.

Inspector Ahn stated, “As a mother striving to set a good example for my four-year-old son, I will do my best to fulfill the Coast Guard’s mission of protecting the lives and safety of the public, both at sea and in the air.”

Lee Myungjun, Chief of the West Sea Coast Guard, emphasized, “Through this case, we have confirmed that a family-friendly organizational culture has a positive impact on individual growth and organizational performance. Going forward, we will actively support all members so they can fully demonstrate their abilities without concerns about gaps in their work.”

Meanwhile, the Muan Fixed-Wing Aviation Unit is a core aviation team of the Coast Guard, responsible for key aerial missions such as monitoring illegal fishing and conducting search and rescue operations in the vast waters of the West and South Seas.

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