Korea is re-elected as a council member of IALA

The Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs says that Korea has been re-elected as a council member of IALA at the 17th Assembly of IALA, which was held in Cape Town, South Africa, on March 21.

This is the second time to be elected as a council member after Korea joined IALA in September 1962, and the membership gives Korea a leading role in marine transportation as a marine superpower in the world.

IALA is a non-governmental international organization based in Paris. It was established in 1957 comprising 72 national members, 47 associate members, 95 industrial members and 38 honorary members.

It gathers marine aids to navigation authorities, manufacturers and consultants from all parts of the world and offers them the opportunity to compare their experiences and achievements. IALA aim is to harmonize aids to navigation worldwide and to ensure that the movements of vessels are safe, expeditious, cost effective and harmless to the environment.

Korea is getting involved in IALA activities as a national member with Korea Aids to Navigation Association as an associate member and 6 industrial members. Korea has secured advanced source technology in Vessel Traffic Service, Automatic Identification System and Differential Global Navigation Satellite System, amongst others.

One of main reasons for Korea to be unanimously elected as a council member is that it expanded ODA to boost the development of poor nations by providing marine transport facilities and developed technology to apply cutting edge IT technology to marine transport facilities. It lays a strong foundation for Korea to hold the 19th IALA Assembly in 2018 and improve the national image as a marine superpower.