Korea Coast Guard Explained

Agencyname:Korean Coast Guard
Nativename:Korean: 해양경찰청
Abbreviation:KCG
Logocaption:KCG emblem
Badge:File:Korea Coast Guard racing stripe.svg
Badgecaption:Racing stripe
Flag:
Flag

Ensign
Formedmonthday:July 2017 – present (as 해양경찰청)
Formedyear:December 1953 – November 2014 (as 해양경찰청)
November 2014 – July 2017 (as 국민안전처 해양경비안전본부)
Employees:10,095 personnel[1]
Country:South Korea
National:Yes
Constitution1:Coast Guard Act, 2019[2]
Headquarters:Incheon, South Korea
Minister1name:Cho Hyun-bai[3]
Minister1pfo:Chief of the Korea Coast Guard
Minister2name:Oh Sang-won
Minister2pfo:Deputy Director
Parentagency:Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (2017–present)
Ministry of Public Safety and Security (2014–2017)
Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (1996–2014)
Korean National Police Agency (1953–1996)[4]
Program1:-->

The Korea Coast Guard (KCG; Korean: 해양경찰청; Hanja:

海洋警察廳, Revised Romanization: Haeyang-gyeongchal-cheong, literally Maritime Police Agency) is a South Korean law enforcement sub-agency responsible for maritime safety and control off the coast. The KCG is an independent and external branch of Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries.

The KCG has its headquarters in Incheon, has hundreds of smaller operating stations along the coastline of the Korean Peninsula. It operates 4 classes of heavy vessels (over 1,000 tons), 3 classes of medium vessels (over 250 tons), and 3 classes of light vessels (speedboats over 30 tons). The KCG also uses several types of 'special purpose watercraft', such as firefighting vessels, barges, high-speed scout boats, light patrols, and amphibious hovercraft. The KCG aviation unit fields 6 fixed-wing aircraft and 16 rotary-wing aircraft. The Coast Guard also had its own asymmetric warfare unit named the 'Korean Coast Guard Special Operation Unit'.

History

The Coast Guard Authority was formed on 23 December 1953 in Pusan, at the same time a Maritime Police Unit was also established as part of the National Police Agency. In October 1962, new bases were established in Inchon, Yeosu, Po-Hang, and Kunsan. In February 1963, the aviation unit of the KCG closed, though it reopened in the 1980s.

From 1980 onwards, the KCG greatly expanded its fleet, and in August 1991, the Police Unit was renamed the Korea National Maritime Police Agency. In 2007 the Korea National Maritime Police Agency was integrated into the Coast Guard. In the early 21st century, the fleet expanded to include various vessels of over 3,000 tons, and as of January 2002, the 'Korean Coast Guard Special Operation Unit' was officially formed. In the May 2008, the "Search & Rescue Maintenance Unit" was newly constructed, and as of late 2008, various sub-agencies changed infrastructural composition.

Before its temporary disestablishment in 2014 the Korea Coast Guard had planned to field more vessels over 5000 tons by 2015, and to significantly expand its asymmetric warfare force through encouraging participation from other police branches.

Disestablishment

On May 18, 2014, President Park Geun-hye announced South Korea's "plans to break up its coastguard" after failing to respond well during the MV Sewol ferry disaster.[5] According to Park, "investigation and information roles would be transferred to the South Korea National Police while the rescue and salvage operation and ocean security roles would be transferred to the Department for National Safety, not to be confused with the Korean Ministry of Security and Public Administration, which will be newly established".[6]

On November 7, 2014, the National Assembly declared that the South Korean coast guard be disbanded as a result of South Korean lawmakers voting 146 to 71 in favor of transferring the Coast Guard's investigative responsibilities to the South Korea National Police Agency and establishing a broader safety agency.[4] [7] [8] [9] As a result, the South Korean Coast Guard is again under the Ministry of Public Safety and Security.

Reestablishment

Newly elected President Moon Jae-in announced his plan to re-organise the ministries and government agencies. Following the approval of the National Assembly, the South Korean coast guard was revived on July 26, 2017 as an independent, external agency under the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries.

Equipment

Aircraft

These are quoted from "Korean Coast Guard 2012 White Paper"[1]

AircraftTypeIn serviceCruise speedCapacityEnduranceFerry rangeNotes
Fixed-wing
CL-604 (Bombardier Challenger 600) Search and rescue airplane1 833 km/h 11 passengers 8 hours6,667 km
C-212 (CASA C-212 Aviocar) Search and rescue airplane 1 370 km/h 7 passengers 5 hours 1,482 km
CN-235 (CASA/IPTN CN-235) Search and rescue airplane 4 394 km/h 12 passengers 7 hours 2,037 km
Rotary-wing
Bell 412SP SAR purpose helicopter 1 218 km/h 9 passengers 3.5 hours 722 km
KA-32C (Kamov Ka-27) SAR purpose helicopter 8 211 km/h 12 passengers 4 hours 852 km
SAR purpose helicopter 2 305 km/h 10 passengers 3.9 hours 819 km
Eurocopter AS565 PantherMB Vessel-carried helicopter 5 296 km/h 8 passengers 3.3 hours 796 km
SAR purpose helicopter 2, with an option for up to 2 additional[10] 280 km/h 19 passengers 6 hours 1,000 km

List of ships of the Korea Coast Guard

These are quoted from "Naver 블로그 지식의 수집광"[11]

ClassDisplacement (empty)Displacement (full load)In serviceHull number/In commissionBuilderArmament
Large Patrol Vessel
Sam Bong5,000 tons6,350 tons2 /2002Hyundai Heavy IndustriesDoosan DST 'No Bong' dual 40mm gun, Sea Vulcan 20 mm
6,500 tons/2015Doosan DST 'No Bong' dual 40mm gun, Sea Vulcan 20 mm; OTO Melara 76 mm canon
Tae Pyung Yang (Pacific)3,000 tons? tons133001/1994 Unknown2 x 20 mm Sea Vulcan
? tons3002/1998 Unknown1 x 20 mm Sea Vulcan
4,450 tons3003/2003 1 x 20 mm Sea Vulcan
3,860 tons 3005/2004 1 x 20 mm Sea Vulcan
3,900 tons 3006/2005 1 x 20 mm Sea Vulcan
3007/2006 1 x 20 mm Sea Vulcan
3008/2008 1 x OTO Melara 40 mm, 1 x 20 mm Sea Vulcan
3009/2010 Hyundai Heavy IndustriesDoosan DST 'No Bong' dual 40mm gun, Sea Vulcan 20 mm
3010/2010Hyundai Heavy IndustriesDoosan DST 'No Bong' dual 40mm gun, Sea Vulcan 20 mm
? tons3011/2012(Training Role) 1 x 20 mm Sea Vulcan
4,200 tons3012/2012 Doosan DST 'No Bong' dual 40mm gun, Sea Vulcan 20 mm
4,200 tons3013/2015 Doosan DST 'No Bong' dual 40mm gun, Sea Vulcan 20 mm
4,200 tons3015/2015Doosan DST 'No Bong' dual 40mm gun, Sea Vulcan 20 mm
Je Min1,500 tons2,200 tons 121501/1988 Sea Vulcan 20 mm
2,246 tons 1502/1996
2,700 tons 1503/2000 Sea Vulcan 20 mm
2,700 tons1505/2001
2,700 tons 1506/2004 Sea Vulcan 20 mm
2,700 tons 1507/2004 Hyundai Heavy IndustriesSea Vulcan 20 mm
2,700 tons1508/20053 x Sea Vulcan 20 mm
2,700 tons 1509/2007 Hanjin Heavy Industries
2,700 tons1510/2007Hanjin Heavy Industries1 x OTO Melara 40 mm, 1 x 20 mm Sea Vulcan
2,700 tons 1511/2008 Doosan DST 'No Bong' dual 40mm gun, Sea Vulcan 20 mm
2,265 tons1512/2011
2,265 tons1513/2012STX Offshore & Shipbuilding
HAN-RIVER 1,000 tons1,530 tons 9 1001/2012 Doosan DST 'No Bong' dual 40mm gun, Sea Vulcan 20 mm
1,530 tons 1002/2012
1,600 tons1003/2013 Doosan DST 'No Bong' dual 40mm gun, Sea Vulcan 20 mm
1005/2015
1,630 tons 1006/1997 Sea Vulcan 20 mm
1,860 tons 1007/2002 Sea Vulcan 20 mm
1,860 tons 1008/2004 Doosan DST 'No Bong' dual 40mm gun, Sea Vulcan 20 mm
1,860 tons1009/2009 Breda 40mm, Sea Vulcan 20 mm
1,530 tons 1010/2012Doosan DST 'No Bong' dual 40mm gun, Sea Vulcan 20 mm
ClassDisplacement (empty)In serviceCountry of originHull numberNotes
Medium Sized Patrol Vessel
Taegeuk 500 tons 16501~518
Haeuri(type A) 300 tons 22 300~303, 305~307, 308~323
Haeuri(type B) 250 tons 2 278,279
Haeuri(type C) 200 tons 2 201,202
Small sized patrol vessel
Haenuri 100 tons 26 103~131
P class(type A)30~50 tons 82 P01~P102, P105~P112, P127
P class(type B)30,50,100 tons 20
Special Vessel
S class(coastal patrol boat) 4.5t 53S01~S70
Fireboat 200t 1
Response Vessel 12t, 50t, 85t, 140t, 150t, 450t 33
All-Weather Amphibious Hovercraft 8

Command

Formerly called Korea Maritime Police, is led by a Commissioner of the KCG and a deputy Commissioner.

The KCG is divided into six Bureaus and 23 Divisions. There are 16 KCG stations with 74 branch offices and 245 subagencies.

Other related agencies include:

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Korean Coast Guard 2012 White Paper. 2013-03-19. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20131105195515/http://ebook.kcg.go.kr/src/viewer/download.php?host=main&site=20121107_111250&no=1. 2013-11-05.
  2. Act. 16515. 2019. Coast Guard Act.
  3. News: New badges in town. 20 June 2018. Kang. Seung-woo. The Korea Times.
  4. Web site: South Korean lawmakers approve plans to disband coast guard in wake of April's ferry disaster. FOX News. Associated Press (AP). 2015-03-24.
  5. Web site: BBC News — South Korea to break up coastguard after ferry disaster . BBC . 1970-01-01 . 2014-05-21.
  6. Web site: South Korean president dismantles coast guard after ferry disaster . K.J. Kwon . Paula Hancocks . Jethro Mullen. 19 May 2014 . CNN.
  7. Web site: South Korea disbands coast guard in wake of April's ferry disaster. Global News. Associated Press (AP).
  8. News: South Korea approves plans to disband coast guard in wake of ferry disaster. The Globe and Mail. Associated Press.
  9. Web site: South Korea Parliament Approves Plans To Disband Coast Guard After Ferry Disaster. Huffington Post.
  10. Web site: SINGAPORE: Sikorsky to supply Korean Coast Guard S-92 helicopter. 21 February 2012.
  11. Web site: 해양경찰, '조직도 및 함정배치현황. 2013-03-20.