West Sea Coast Guard chief visits Mokpo sites to check heat safety, typhoon readiness

Mokpo Wide-Area VTS and Bukhang Police Box inspected ahead of summer peak season and extreme heat period

Baek Hak-seon, chief of the West Sea Regional Coast Guard, visited key sites in the Mokpo area on Thursday to inspect maritime accident prevention measures and field response readiness ahead of the summer peak season and extreme heat period.

The inspection was organized to assess safety management conditions in coastal hazard zones and aboard high-occupancy vessels, review response systems for natural disasters including typhoons, and encourage field staff working through the heat wave to protect public safety.

Baek visited the Mokpo Wide-Area Vessel Traffic Service center, where he reviewed vessel traffic control operations and emergency response systems in preparation for typhoons, and checked the working conditions of controllers on duty as well as the implementation of heat illness prevention measures.

He then visited the Bukhang Police Box to examine safety management conditions in coastal hazard zones and on high-occupancy vessels, inspect rescue response readiness and equipment status ahead of typhoon season, and hear directly from field personnel about their difficulties.

"During the summer peak season and extreme heat period, the risk of accidents can rise as increased maritime activity coincides with deteriorating weather conditions," Baek said. "We will do our utmost to maintain field-centered prevention activities and airtight response readiness to protect the lives and safety of the public."