Officials present life jackets to civilian maritime rescue volunteers at a handover ceremony.
Officials present life jackets to civilian maritime rescue volunteers at a handover ceremony.

The West Sea Regional Coast Guard Agency held its 2026 Policy Advisory Committee regular meeting Thursday at its headquarters conference room in Muan, where officials discussed safety equipment support for civilian maritime rescue teams and ways to advance public-centered policy.

Before the meeting, the committee distributed 130 life jackets to five regional branches of the Korea Maritime Rescue Association — the North Jeonbuk, South Jeonbuk, West Jeonnam, South Jeonnam and East Jeonnam chapters.

The distribution was aimed at improving the safety of civilian rescue personnel who conduct search-and-rescue operations at sea and strengthening the capacity to respond to maritime accidents.

The advisory committee meeting that followed included the presentation of commendations and the appointment of new members, a briefing on key operational progress in 2026, and an exchange of views on advancing maritime safety and law enforcement policy.

Participants also discussed ways to identify reform initiatives that citizens can feel in their daily lives and to improve policy implementation, as part of a broader "normalization of the abnormal" project.

"Drawing on the expertise and diverse perspectives of our policy advisers, we will continue to identify policies that citizens can tangibly feel, while strengthening cooperation with civilian rescue teams to do our utmost in building a safer sea," said Baek Hak-seon, chief of the West Sea Regional Coast Guard Agency.


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