Mokpo Mayor Park Hong-ryul Visits West Coast Guard Maintenance Facility Construction Site

Promotion of New Korea Coast Guard Project... Scheduled for Completion in July Next Year
"Expected to Play a Key Role in Revitalizing the Local Economy Since Opening"

Park Hong-ryul, Mayor of Mokpo City, visited the site of the new West Maintenance Center project of the Korea Coast Guard, which is being promoted on Heosado Island in Daldong, Mokpo City, on the 19th, and listened to the progress and operation plans after the opening.

According to the city on the 20th, the West Maintenance Center of the Korea Coast Guard is a project that has been underway since 2019 with a budget of 258.4 billion KRW invested by the Korea Coast Guard, aiming for completion in July next year, and it will serve as the main office overseeing the existing Busan Maintenance Center.

Mokpo Mayor Park Hong-ryul visited the site of the West Coast Maintenance Facility construction project of the Korea Coast Guard to check the progress. Photo by Mokpo City

The Korea Coast Guard currently lacks facilities capable of repairing vessels over 1,000 tons, so large ships have been outsourced for repairs to the Navy Maintenance Center. However, as naval vessels have become larger, delays in repairs have occurred, causing difficulties. To resolve this, the West Maintenance Center is being established on Heosado Island at Mokpo New Port.

The current progress rate of the West Maintenance Center is 58%, and full efforts are being made to open it by July next year.

Kim Hae-cheol, Head of the West Maintenance Center Establishment Promotion Team at the Korea Coast Guard, said, “Once the West Maintenance Center opens, it will be able to repair 160 vessels annually, and more than 4,000 crew members will stay in Mokpo for over a month each year, contributing to the economic and cultural development of Mokpo.”

Mayor Park Hong-ryul said, “We expect the center to play a pivotal role in revitalizing the local economy upon opening,” and requested the Korea Coast Guard to “allow local companies to participate in ship repairs and to hire local talent if possible.”

The mayor also emphasized, “Together with the eco-friendly ship cluster being built at Namhang in Mokpo City, we will do our best to enhance the capabilities of local ship repair companies and revitalize the local repair industry to inject vitality into the regional economy.”