[Exclusive] Increasing 'Fishing Patrol Vessel CCTV' by 160 Units... Average 11 Cameras per Vessel

Currently, 40 Fisheries Patrol Vessels Equipped with 280 CCTVs
With 160 More Added, Average CCTVs per Vessel Increase from 7 to 11
Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries: "Strengthening Safety Management by Eliminating Blind Spots"

The appearance of Mugunghwa 10-ho's bow. (File photo) [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Joo Sang-don] The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries has decided to install an additional 160 closed-circuit televisions (CCTVs) on the fisheries patrol vessels of the Fisheries Management Unit. This measure aims to prevent a recurrence of the incident involving a missing West Sea Fisheries Management Unit official who was shot by North Korea near Soyeonpyeongdo on the 21st of last month.

On the 26th, a Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries official stated, "We plan to install 160 additional CCTVs on the fisheries patrol vessels," adding, "We will invest 800 million KRW in installing CCTVs mainly on the decks."

Currently, there are 40 fisheries patrol vessels under the Ministry's East, West, and South Sea Fisheries Management Units. Approximately 280 CCTVs are installed on these vessels, averaging 7 per vessel. With the addition of 160 units, each patrol vessel will have an average of 11 CCTVs.

Earlier, on the 21st of last month, a first mate surnamed Lee from the West Sea Fisheries Management Unit went missing 2.2 km south of Soyeonpyeongdo. According to the Ministry, Lee, who was on duty from 9 a.m., told an assistant officer (grade 8) at around 1:35 p.m. that he was doing paperwork in the administrative office, then left the wheelhouse and did not return. At around 11:30 a.m. the same day, Lee did not have lunch, prompting a search of his cabin, the entire vessel, and nearby waters, but he was not found. At 12:51 p.m., the maritime police were notified, and a sea search was conducted. However, three days after his disappearance, on the 24th, the Ministry of National Defense announced that he had been shot near Deungsan Cape at 9:40 p.m. on the 22nd.

At the time, CCTV was considered a crucial clue to clarifying the circumstances of Lee's disappearance. The patrol vessel in question, Mugunghwa 10, was launched in June 1999 and is 20 years old. It had only two CCTVs installed. However, according to the coast guard investigation, the CCTVs had been out of order since around 8 a.m. on the 20th, the day before the disappearance. Thus, no clues could be obtained from the CCTV footage.

In response, on the 8th, during the National Assembly's Agriculture, Food, Rural Affairs, Oceans and Fisheries Committee audit, the Ministry disclosed the "Situation and Action Plan Regarding the West Sea Fisheries Management Unit Staff Sacrifice Incident." Minister Moon Sung-hyeok stated, "We will re-examine the cause of the malfunction of the two CCTVs installed at the bow and stern, the appropriateness of related measures, and the monitoring system," and added, "We will revise regulations related to patrol vessel CCTVs and promote the replacement and expansion of outdated CCTVs."

Accordingly, safety management has been strengthened by adding CCTVs to eliminate blind spots on fisheries patrol vessels. Including this, the Ministry plans to soon announce improvements to related systems such as CCTV operation and duty shifts, reflecting its own inspection results and the coast guard's investigation findings.