The '2026 Pilot Day' event took place on September 1 at the Diamond Hall of The Plaza Hotel in Seoul, attended by over 150 participants, including shipping industry officials, current and former bureaucrats from the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, and members of the National Assembly.
Since its inception in 2022, Pilot Day has been celebrated to promote and encourage the activities of South Korean pilots, who have been safely and efficiently guiding ships since the formal establishment by pilot Yu Hang-ryeol at Incheon Port in 1937.
In his commemorative speech, Jo Yong-hwa, President of the Korean Pilot Association, emphasized that 99.7% of the country’s import and export cargo is transported by sea, highlighting the critical role and responsibility of pilots.
“Our country is almost an island nation, with nearly all of our import and export cargo, 99.7%, being transported by sea,” Jo said. “Pilots are dedicated to ensuring the safety of vessels and enhancing port efficiency, working tirelessly every day of the year with a sense of mission to contribute to the Korean economy.”
Jo further stated, “For our country to truly become a maritime power, the shipbuilding industry, shipping industry, and the pilotage sector must work together. Training excellent maritime personnel is crucial, and our association will do its utmost to support this effort.”
Since 2009, the Pilot Association has donated over 1% of its total pilotage fee revenue to scholarship and social contribution projects, accumulating a total of 20 billion won to date.
The event was attended by Seo Sam-seok, Chairman of the National Assembly’s Agriculture, Food, Rural Affairs, Oceans and Fisheries Committee; Nam Jae-heon, Vice Minister of Oceans and Fisheries; and Park Jeong-seok, President of the Korean Shipping Association, among others. They expressed their gratitude for the hard work of pilots and emphasized the importance of their role in maritime safety.
Park Jeong-seok remarked, “Since the beginning of Korean shipping, the shipping and shipbuilding sectors have worked closely together to develop our nation’s shipping industry. I hope we continue to strive for greater growth in the Korean shipping industry.”
The ceremony included the presentation of awards from the Minister of Oceans and Fisheries and the Chief of the Coast Guard. The Minister’s awards were given to pilot Seong Jeong-rae from Yeosu Port and pilot Oh Jae-geun from Busan Port for their contributions to safe and smooth vessel operations and high-quality port services.
The Chief of the Coast Guard’s awards were presented to pilot Choi Young-hwan from Busan Port and pilot Choi Byeong-seon from Pyeongtaek and Dangjin Ports for their active cooperation with Coast Guard operations and contributions to maritime traffic control.
Additionally, the association appointed Jeong Yeon-se as an honorary external pilot for his contributions to the development of the pilotage industry, presenting him with a plaque and a gold pilot badge typically awarded upon retirement. External public service awards were also given to Park Jong-dae, Director of U-Coca Carriers, and Jeong Sang-pil, Head of the Incheon Office of Cheongkyung Shipping.
Moreover, pilots Kim Hyun-woo from Busan Port, Lim Hyeong-do from Yeosu Port, and Lim Chang-soo from Pyeongtaek and Dangjin Ports received commemorative plaques for achieving ten years of accident-free pilotage. In the excellence category, Kim Jin-tae from Ulsan Port was recognized, while Um Sang-yong from Ulsan Port received an award for 30 years of service.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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