Only 250 People Earn Over 100 Million Won... "Abroad, It's a 'Pilot'" [New Jobs]

Dosunsa, a little-known name, pilot in English
A profession that guides ships into ports with navigation skills
Responsible for the start and end of global maritime trade

Editor's NoteWith ultra-aging and ultra-low birth rates, along with the advent of the Artificial Intelligence (AI) era, new changes are occurring in the world of occupations. We introduce the world of new jobs that open paths for new challenges in working life or a second act in life.

Recently, the final successful candidates for the '2024 Pilot Trainee Selection Exam' announced by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries attracted the attention of domestic netizens. Pilot trainees are those undergoing practical training before obtaining a pilot license, and pilots are known as high-paying professionals with an average annual salary of 100 million KRW and up to 500 million KRW.

One of the busiest waterways in the world, the Singapore Strait.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Pilots are known as "specialists who safely guide ships entering and leaving trade ports along navigational routes." There are only about 250 such jobs in Korea. However, despite being a very small group of specialists, few know how long the profession of pilot has a rich history.

Modern Pilot System Began in the 15th Century... 'Pilot' Originally Meant a Maritime Pilot

British pilots navigating 'pilot cutter' boats guiding ships entering the harbor. [Image source: Screenshot from the London Pilots Association website]

The English name for a pilot is "Pilot." The pilotage work is called "Pilotage" in English. Usually, when people hear "pilot," they think of an aircraft pilot, but in fact, the original meaning of "pilot" was a maritime pilot. Both guiding an airplane safely to its destination and bringing a ship into a harbor share a common essence.

The first modern pilot system was established by the maritime power, the United Kingdom. Its history dates back as far as the 1400s. Then and now, guiding massive cargo ships into narrow ports was extremely dangerous and required skilled steering abilities.

In the UK, there was an early recognition of the need to train skilled navigators specializing only in port entry and exit. Accordingly, the pilot system was established, and guilds and associations were organized to recognize professionalism. These organizations later laid the foundation for official licensing systems and spread to other countries, evolving into the professional occupation of pilot today.

In the Korean Peninsula, records show that professional navigators have been employed for pilotage duties for centuries. According to the "Nitt? Guh? Junrei K?ki" (Record of a Pilgrimage to Tang China) written by the 9th-century Japanese monk Ennin, there is a story of Silla sailors who acted as "hyangdo (향도)" when Japanese ships traveled along the southern coast to the northern route.

The Starting and Ending Point of International Trade

Busan Port. [Image source=Yonhap News]

The marine environment surrounding the globe varies greatly, and the conditions of each country's ports differ. Therefore, the types of pilots vary from country to country. For example, the English Dover Strait is narrow with heavy ship traffic, making port entry and exit notoriously difficult. British pilots must skillfully navigate the complex strait, and they call their work "Deep Sea Pilotage."

Pilots in the Mississippi River basin, which once led the economic development of the United States, are distinct from other pilots. They operate large vessels on much shallower rivers than the sea, heading toward ports. For this reason, American pilots excel in "River Pilotage."

Many other countries also train and employ pilots according to their port environments. In Korea, the qualifications for obtaining a pilot license are very strict. One must have an in-depth understanding of the tides and depths of the port where they will work and possess top-level ship handling skills. Even if one passes the difficult exam and is selected as a pilot trainee, they must undergo more than 200 practical training sessions over six months to qualify to take the actual pilot exam. The pilot license is issued directly by the Minister of Oceans and Fisheries.

Today, maritime trade is the lifeblood of the international economy, and Korea, which depends on trade for more than half of its national economy, is no exception. Pilots are responsible for the starting and ending points of all maritime trade. The high salaries of pilots are a reward commensurate with the professional skills they have honed throughout their lives and their economic importance.