Photo : YONHAP News
President Lee Jae Myung has pledged to lead a new maritime order in an era of uncertainty stemming from the changing global trade environment and supply chains.
At an event in the southeastern port city of Busan to mark the annual Ocean Day, Lee said the country aims to become an axis that connects Eurasia and the Indo-Pacific, to allow free navigation in the region and to defend an open trade order.
Lee said the former Kim Young-sam administration’s launch of the oceans ministry was aimed at enhancing the country’s shipping, port, shipbuilding and fisheries industries, and promised to accelerate fulfillment of the former president’s envisioned leap to become a maritime power.
The president said the administration will foster shipping and port industries as national strategic industries that would firmly support the national economy and security, and that the administration will establish a maritime transport supply chain under the country’s control.
Lee also introduced plans to nurture Busan to become the country’s maritime capital and promised to push for relocations of shipping companies and relevant public agencies there while expediting the planned establishment of a maritime court.