West Sea Coast Guard Launches Focused Crackdown on Vessel Traffic Safety Violations

One-Week Guidance Period Begins on November 3
Full-Scale Crackdown to Start on November 10

Employees at the West Sea Coast Guard Maritime Traffic Control Center (VTS) are monitoring ships. Photo by West Sea Coast Guard

On November 3, the West Sea Regional Coast Guard announced that it would launch a focused crackdown on violations related to vessel traffic control regulations in order to prevent maritime accidents and raise safety awareness among vessel operators.

The five Maritime Traffic Control Centers (VTS) under the West Sea Coast Guard-Gunsan Metropolitan, Mokpo Metropolitan, Yeosu Port, Yeosu Coastal, and Wando Port VTS-will begin a one-week period of advance notice and public guidance starting today, using channels such as social media, text messages, banners, and VHF broadcasts. After this period, a focused enforcement campaign will be conducted from November 10 to November 21.

Over the past five years, a total of 48 regulatory violations were detected at the five VTS centers under the West Sea Coast Guard. The most common violation was failure to monitor VHF communications, accounting for 18 cases (38%), followed by operating a vessel under the influence of alcohol with 8 cases (17%).

During this period, the West Sea Coast Guard plans to focus its enforcement on preventing maritime accidents by targeting violations such as failure to monitor or respond to control communications, operating a vessel under the influence of alcohol, and exceeding speed limits.

According to the Vessel Traffic Control Act, if the captain of a vessel subject to control fails to comply with vessel traffic control without a valid reason, they may face imprisonment of up to one year or a fine of up to 10 million won. Violations of control procedures, such as the obligation to monitor control communications, may result in a fine of up to 3 million won.

A West Sea Coast Guard official stated, "We hope that this crackdown will prevent maritime accidents, raise safety awareness among vessel operators, and serve as an opportunity to establish a culture of maritime safety."

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