Ministry of Health and Welfare, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and Korean National Police Agency to strengthen pilot training and share aviation safety data

Participants pose for a photo at the MOU signing ceremony for improved aviation safety, held Wednesday at the Korean National Police Agency's Police Human Resources Development Institute in Asan, South Chungcheong Province. From third from left in the front row are Jeon Hyeong-pil, director general of the Seoul Regional Aviation Administration under the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport; Park Hyeon-su, director of the Police Human Resources Development Institute; and Lee Jung-gyu, director general of public health policy at the Ministry of Health and Welfare. [Ministry of Health and Welfare]
Participants pose for a photo at the MOU signing ceremony for improved aviation safety, held Wednesday at the Korean National Police Agency's Police Human Resources Development Institute in Asan, South Chungcheong Province. From third from left in the front row are Jeon Hyeong-pil, director general of the Seoul Regional Aviation Administration under the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport; Park Hyeon-su, director of the Police Human Resources Development Institute; and Lee Jung-gyu, director general of public health policy at the Ministry of Health and Welfare. [Ministry of Health and Welfare]

South Korea's Ministry of Health and Welfare, the Seoul Regional Aviation Administration under the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, and the Korean National Police Agency's Police Human Resources Development Institute signed an MOU Wednesday on improving aviation safety at the institute's campus in Asan, South Chungcheong Province.

The agreement aims to prevent aviation accidents through information sharing and inter-agency cooperation, and to support the safe operation of dedicated emergency medical helicopters, known as doctor helicopters.

Under the MOU, the three agencies will cooperate in four areas: supporting doctor helicopter pilot training using flight simulation devices, a joint effort among all three agencies; sharing aviation safety information and airworthiness technical data for safe helicopter operations, led by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport; designating the police agency's flight simulation training devices and assisting with validity-period renewals, a collaboration between the ministry and the police agency; and providing technical advisory services and education for the maintenance of emergency medical equipment kits installed on police helicopters, handled jointly by the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the police agency.

The three agencies said they plan to sustain pilot education, training and aviation safety information exchanges following the signing. Their goal is to improve the operational safety of doctor helicopters and create an environment in which critically ill emergency patients can be transported more safely.

"The Ministry of Health and Welfare, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Korean National Police Agency will pool each agency's expertise to enhance doctor helicopter pilots' ability to handle crisis situations, support safer operations and patient transport, and protect people's lives," said Lee Jung-gyu, director general of public health policy at the Ministry of Health and Welfare.

A flight simulation training device operated by the Korean National Police Agency [Korean National Police Agency]
A flight simulation training device operated by the Korean National Police Agency [Korean National Police Agency]

thlee@heraldcorp.com