Korea Coast Guard

Korean Coast Guard
해양경찰청
Haeyang-gyeongchal-cheong
KCG emblem
KCG emblem
Racing stripe
Racing stripe

Flag

Ensign
AbbreviationKCG
Agency overview
FormedJuly 2017 – present (as 해양경찰청), December 1953 – November 2014 (as 해양경찰청)
November 2014 – July 2017 (as 국민안전처 해양경비안전본부)
Employees10,095 personnel[1]
Jurisdictional structure
National agencySouth Korea
Operations jurisdictionSouth Korea
Constituting instrument
  • Coast Guard Act, 2019[2]
Operational structure
HeadquartersIncheon, South Korea
Elected officers responsible
  • Cho Hyun-bai[3], Chief of the Korea Coast Guard
  • Oh Sang-won, Deputy Director
Parent agencyMinistry 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]
Website
https://www.kcg.go.kr/
KCG vessel No. 3006 sailing alongside U.S. Coast Guard cutter USCGC Boutwell (WHEC-719) in August 2007

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

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A Kamov Ka-32 of the Korea Coast Guard
ROK Coast Guard, 122 Rescue Unit, Yeosu

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

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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

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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

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Aircraft

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

Aircraft Type In service Cruise speed Capacity Endurance Ferry range Notes
Fixed-wing
CL-604 (Bombardier Challenger 600) Search and rescue airplane 1 833 km/h 11 passengers 8 hours 6,667 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
AgustaWestland AW139 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
Sikorsky S-92 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

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

Class Displacement (empty) Displacement (full load) In service Hull number/In commission Builder Armament
Large Patrol Vessel
Sam Bong 5,000 tons 6,350 tons 2 KCG Sam Bong (ARS 5001)/2002 Hyundai Heavy Industries Doosan DST 'No Bong' dual 40mm gun, Sea Vulcan 20 mm
6,500 tons KCG Lee Cheong Ho (ARS 5002)/2015 Doosan DST 'No Bong' dual 40mm gun, Sea Vulcan 20 mm; OTO Melara 76 mm canon
Tae Pyung Yang (Pacific) 3,000 tons ? tons 13 3001/1994 Unknown 2 x 20 mm Sea Vulcan
? tons 3002/1998 Unknown 1 x 20 mm Sea Vulcan
4,450 tons 3003/2003 Hanjin Heavy Industries 1 x 20 mm Sea Vulcan
3,860 tons 3005/2004 Hanjin Heavy Industries 1 x 20 mm Sea Vulcan
3,900 tons 3006/2005 Hanjin Heavy Industries 1 x 20 mm Sea Vulcan
3007/2006 Hanjin Heavy Industries 1 x 20 mm Sea Vulcan
3008/2008 Hanjin Heavy Industries 1 x OTO Melara 40 mm, 1 x 20 mm Sea Vulcan
3009/2010 Hyundai Heavy Industries Doosan DST 'No Bong' dual 40mm gun, Sea Vulcan 20 mm
3010/2010 Hyundai Heavy Industries Doosan DST 'No Bong' dual 40mm gun, Sea Vulcan 20 mm
? tons 3011/2012(Training Role) STX Offshore & Shipbuilding 1 x 20 mm Sea Vulcan
4,200 tons 3012/2012 Hyundai Heavy Industries Doosan DST 'No Bong' dual 40mm gun, Sea Vulcan 20 mm
4,200 tons 3013/2015 STX Offshore & Shipbuilding Doosan DST 'No Bong' dual 40mm gun, Sea Vulcan 20 mm
4,200 tons 3015/2015 STX Offshore & Shipbuilding Doosan DST 'No Bong' dual 40mm gun, Sea Vulcan 20 mm
Je Min 1,500 tons 2,200 tons 12 1501/1988 Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Sea Vulcan 20 mm
2,246 tons 1502/1996
2,700 tons 1503/2000 Hanjin Heavy Industries Sea Vulcan 20 mm
2,700 tons 1505/2001
2,700 tons 1506/2004 Hyundai Heavy Industries Sea Vulcan 20 mm
2,700 tons 1507/2004 Hyundai Heavy Industries Sea Vulcan 20 mm
2,700 tons 1508/2005 Hyundai Heavy Industries 3 x Sea Vulcan 20 mm
2,700 tons 1509/2007 Hanjin Heavy Industries
2,700 tons 1510/2007 Hanjin Heavy Industries 1 x OTO Melara 40 mm, 1 x 20 mm Sea Vulcan
2,700 tons 1511/2008 Hyundai Heavy Industries Doosan DST 'No Bong' dual 40mm gun, Sea Vulcan 20 mm
2,265 tons 1512/2011 STX Offshore & Shipbuilding
2,265 tons 1513/2012 STX Offshore & Shipbuilding
HAN-RIVER 1,000 tons 1,530 tons 9 1001/2012 Hyundai Heavy Industries Doosan DST 'No Bong' dual 40mm gun, Sea Vulcan 20 mm
1,530 tons 1002/2012
1,600 tons 1003/2013 STX Offshore & Shipbuilding 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 Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Sea Vulcan 20 mm
1,860 tons 1008/2004 Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Doosan DST 'No Bong' dual 40mm gun, Sea Vulcan 20 mm
1,860 tons 1009/2009 Hyundai Heavy Industries Breda 40mm, Sea Vulcan 20 mm
1,530 tons 1010/2012 Hanjin Heavy Industries Doosan DST 'No Bong' dual 40mm gun, Sea Vulcan 20 mm
Class Displacement (empty) In service Country of origin Hull number Notes
Medium Sized Patrol Vessel
Taegeuk 500 tons 16  South Korea 501~518
Haeuri(type A) 300 tons 22  South Korea 300~303, 305~307, 308~323
Haeuri(type B) 250 tons 2  South Korea 278,279
Haeuri(type C) 200 tons 2  South Korea 201,202
Small sized patrol vessel
Haenuri 100 tons 26  South Korea 103~131
P class(type A) 30~50 tons 82  South Korea P01~P102, P105~P112, P127
P class(type B) 30,50,100 tons 20  South Korea
Special Vessel
S class(coastal patrol boat) 4.5t 53  South Korea S01~S70
Fireboat 200t 1  South Korea
Response Vessel 12t, 50t, 85t, 140t, 150t, 450t 33  South Korea
All-Weather Amphibious Hovercraft 8  South Korea

Command

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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:

  • KCG Academy
  • KCG R&D Center
  • KCG Maintenance Agency

References

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  1. ^ a b "Korean Coast Guard 2012 White Paper". Archived from the original on 2013-11-05. Retrieved 2013-03-19.
  2. ^ Coast Guard Act (Act 16515). 2019.
  3. ^ Kang, Seung-woo (20 June 2018). "New badges in town". The Korea Times.
  4. ^ a b "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. ^ "BBC News — South Korea to break up coastguard after ferry disaster". BBC. 1970-01-01. Retrieved 2014-05-21.
  6. ^ K.J. Kwon; Paula Hancocks; Jethro Mullen (19 May 2014). "South Korean president dismantles coast guard after ferry disaster". CNN.
  7. ^ "South Korea disbands coast guard in wake of April's ferry disaster". Global News. Associated Press (AP).
  8. ^ "South Korea approves plans to disband coast guard in wake of ferry disaster". The Globe and Mail. Associated Press.
  9. ^ "South Korea Parliament Approves Plans To Disband Coast Guard After Ferry Disaster". Huffington Post.
  10. ^ "SINGAPORE: Sikorsky to supply Korean Coast Guard S-92 helicopter". 21 February 2012.
  11. ^ "해양경찰, '조직도 및 함정배치현황". Retrieved 2013-03-20.[permanent dead link]
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