The Korea Coast Guard (KCG; ) 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 Incheon is a city located in northwestern South Korea, bordering Seoul and Gyeonggi Province to the east. Inhabited since the Neolithic, Incheon was home to just 4,700 people when it became an international port in 1883. As of February 2020, ...

, 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 A hovercraft (: hovercraft), also known as an air-cushion vehicle or ACV, is an amphibious craft capable of travelling over land, water, mud, ice, and various other surfaces. Hovercraft use blowers to produce a large volume of air below the ...

. The KCG aviation unit fields 6

fixed-wing aircraft A fixed-wing aircraft is a heavier-than-air aircraft, such as an airplane, which is capable of flight using aerodynamic lift. Fixed-wing aircraft are distinct from rotary-wing aircraft (in which a rotor mounted on a spinning shaft generate ...

and 16

rotary-wing aircraft A rotary-wing aircraft, rotorwing aircraft or rotorcraft is a heavier-than-air aircraft with rotary wings that spin around a vertical mast to generate lift. Part 1 (Definitions and Abbreviations) of Subchapter A of Chapter I of Title 14 of the ...

. The Coast Guard also had its own

asymmetric warfare Asymmetric warfare (or asymmetric engagement) is a type of war between belligerents whose relative military power, strategy or tactics differ significantly. This type of warfare often, but not necessarily, involves insurgents, terrorist grou ...

unit named the 'Korean Coast Guard Special Operation Unit'.

History

The Coast Guard Authority was formed on 23 December 1953 in

Pusan Busan (), officially Busan Metropolitan City, is South Korea's second most populous city after Seoul, with a population of over 3.3 million as of 2024. Formerly romanized as Pusan, it is the economic, cultural and educational center of southe ...

, at the same time a Maritime Police Unit was also established as part of the

National Police Agency National Police may refer to the national police forces of several countries: *Afghanistan: Afghan National Police *Haiti: Haitian National Police *Canada: Royal Canadian Mounted Police *Colombia: National Police of Colombia *Cuba: National Revolut ...

. In October 1962, new bases were established in

Inchon Incheon is a city located in northwestern South Korea, bordering Seoul and Gyeonggi Province to the east. Inhabited since the Neolithic, Incheon was home to just 4,700 people when it became an international port in 1883. As of February 2020, ...

Yeosu Yeosu, formerly romanized as Yosu, is a coastal city located on the southern shore of South Korea. With a population of 268,823, Yeosu is the second largest city in South Jeolla Province. In 1998, the Old Yeosu City, Yeocheon City and Yeocheon C ...

, Po-Hang, and

Kunsan Gunsan (; ), also romanized as Kunsan, is a city in North Jeolla Province, South Korea. It is on the south bank of the Geum River just upstream from its exit into the Yellow Sea. It has emerged as a high-tech manufacturing industrial city and an ...

. 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 Park Geun-hye (; ; born 2 February 1952) is a South Korean politician who served as the 11th president of South Korea from 2013 until Impeachment of Park Geun-hye, she was removed from office in 2017. Park was the first and to date only woman ...

announced South Korea's "plans to break up its coastguard" after failing to respond well during the MV ''Sewol'' ferry disaster. 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 Ministry of Security and Public Administration (MOSPA, Korean: 안전행정부), formerly Ministry of Public Administration and Security (MOPAS), was a ministry of the national government of South Korea. The ministry was in charge of the civil and ...

, which will be newly established". On November 7, 2014, the

National Assembly In politics, a national assembly is either a unicameral legislature, the lower house of a bicameral legislature, or both houses of a bicameral legislature together. In the English language it generally means "an assembly composed of the repr ...

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. 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 Moon Jae-in (, ; born January 24, 1953) is a South Korean politician and former lawyer who served as the 12th president of South Korea from 2017 to 2022. Before his presidency, he served as the senior secretary for civil affairs and the Chief ...

announced his plan to re-organise the ministries and government agencies. Following the approval of the

, the South Korean coast guard was revived on July 26, 2017 as an independent, external agency under the

Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF; ), is a cabinet-level organization of the Government of the Republic of Korea. It takes overall responsibilities for maritime and fisheries sectors in general, ranging from the promotion of maritime saf ...

Equipment

Aircraft

These are quoted from "Korean Coast Guard 2012 White Paper"

List of ships of the Korea Coast Guard

These are quoted from "Naver 블로그 지식의 수집광"

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: * KCG Academy * KCG R&D Center * KCG Maintenance Agency

References

External links

*
Korean Coast Guard 122 Rescue Unit official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Republic Of Korean Coast Guard Law enforcement in South Korea Military units and formations disestablished in 2014 Marine occupations Coast guards 1953 establishments in South Korea