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Korean Coast Guard 해양경찰청 Haeyang-gyeongchal-cheong
KCG emblem
Racing stripe
Flag Ensign
Abbreviation	KCG
Agency overview
Formed	July 2017 – present (as 해양경찰청), December 1953 – November 2014 (as 해양경찰청) November 2014 – July 2017 (as 국민안전처 해양경비안전본부)
Employees	10,095 personnel
Jurisdictional structure
National agency	South Korea
Operations jurisdiction	South Korea
Constituting instrument	Coast Guard Act, 2019
Operational structure
Headquarters	Incheon, South Korea
Elected officers responsible	Cho Hyun-bai, Chief of the Korea Coast Guard Oh Sang-won, Deputy Director
Parent agency	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)
Website
https://www.kcg.go.kr/

The Korea Coast Guard (KCG; Korean: 해양경찰청; Hanja: 海洋警察廳; RR: Haeyang-gyeongchal-cheong; lit. 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. 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".

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. 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"

List of ships of the Korea Coast Guard

These are quoted from "Naver 블로그 지식의 수집광"

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

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

1. ^ "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. ^ "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.

External links

• Official website (in Korean)
• Korean Coast Guard 122 Rescue Unit official website (in Korean)

v t e Places adjacent to Korea Coast Guard
Russian FSB Coast Guard China Coast Guard (PRC) Korean Coast Guard (ROK) Japan Coast Guard United States Coast Guard Philippine Coast Guard Republic of China Coast Guard (ROC)

• Law enforcement in South Korea
• Military units and formations disestablished in 2014
• Marine occupations
• Coast guards