Korea Ocean Business Corp. launches 2026 KOBC Badaieum Explorer Corps

Korea Ocean Business Corp. held the launch ceremony for its 2026 KOBC Badaieum Explorer Corps at Korea Maritime and Ocean University on Tuesday, bringing together 80 youths from across the country for a four-day marine exploration program.

The ceremony was attended by Korea Ocean Business Corp. President Ahn Byung-gil, Korea Maritime and Ocean University President Ryu Dong-geun, ChildFund Korea Busan Regional Director Jo Yu-jin, and other officials, along with the student participants. The participants pledged to take on the four-day program with dedication and a sense of responsibility as members of the explorer corps.

The KOBC Badaieum Explorer Corps is a marine talent development program run by Korea Ocean Business Corp. as part of its corporate social responsibility initiatives. It is designed to help young people grow into future maritime professionals by giving them hands-on experience outside the classroom in areas including marine environments, science and technology, ocean safety, and maritime industry careers. The program launched last year to strong interest from youths nationwide, successfully completing a range of field activities including survival swimming and training vessel boarding.

This year's program is organized around four themes: marine exploration, marine deepening, marine practice and marine leadership. Participants will begin with a visit to the National Maritime Museum of Korea to learn about Busan as a maritime city and its maritime industries, followed by a range of field-based activities including survival swimming and ocean safety education, a training vessel voyage, marine science and technology experiences, and marine biology observation.

"I hope this expedition helps students understand the sea more closely and discover new dreams that connect their futures to the ocean," Korea Ocean Business Corp. President Ahn Byung-gil said.