Busan Port Authority holds integrated defense committee for key national facilities

The Busan Port Authority (BPA) said Wednesday it held the Busan-Ulsan Integrated Defense Committee for Key National Facilities at its headquarters, chaired by the commander of the 53rd Division.

About 70 people attended the meeting, including security officers responsible for key national facilities in the Busan and Ulsan areas, along with military, police and fire department officials. Participants discussed measures to strengthen the defense posture of key national facilities, inter-agency situation sharing and response coordination, and countermeasures against evolving security threats such as terrorism and drone attacks.

Following the meeting, attendees boarded a BPA harbor guidance vessel to tour major facilities at the North Port and observe port operations firsthand, deepening their understanding of Busan Port's role as a key national facility and the importance of its protection.

The BPA plans to continue conducting education programs for security officers at key national facilities, on-site inspections and joint drills with related agencies to raise safety and security standards at Busan Port.

"Close cooperation among related agencies is paramount at Busan Port, a core hub of maritime security, even in peacetime," BPA President Song Sang-geun said. "We will continue to strengthen coordination with relevant agencies and do our utmost to establish a solid defense posture for key national facilities."

Meanwhile, the Integrated Defense Committee was established to review the integrated defense readiness of key national facilities in the Busan and Ulsan regions and to strengthen cooperation among civilian, government, military, police and fire department entities.