Mokpo Marine University has dispatched two training ships on an international navigation voyage to the Philippines, Taiwan, and Japan [1].
The initiative aims to cultivate global maritime talent at a time when the importance of sea transport has gained heightened awareness following the Iran war [1].
Departing from Mokpo, known as the gateway port of the southwest region, the voyage utilizes two university vessels: the Segyero and the Saenuri [1]. The ships carry approximately 300 third-year students [1]. Including university staff, the total number of people on board is about 360 [1].
For the students, the voyage serves as a critical bridge between classroom theory and the unpredictable nature of the open ocean. Trainees are tasked with managing real-world scenarios, including equipment failure and severe weather conditions.
"International navigation is a great challenge and an opportunity for growth for me," Jung A-yoon, a third-year trainee navigator, said [2]. "I will gain experience in various environments and grow into a marine engineer who will lead South Korean shipping."
Technical proficiency remains a primary focus for those in the engine room. Trainees are implementing rigorous daily check routines to ensure vessel stability and safety during the transit.
"I plan to increase my capabilities by actively accepting the guidance of professors and officers to respond calmly to unexpected breakdowns or bad weather," Kim Bong-hyun, a third-year trainee engineer, said [2].
The program emphasizes the necessity of adaptability in international waters, a skill the university deems essential for the next generation of South Korean maritime officers.
“The ships carry approximately 300 third-year students.”
This training exercise reflects South Korea's strategic push to secure its maritime supply chains and professional expertise. By emphasizing the geopolitical lessons learned from the Iran war, the university is shifting its pedagogical focus toward crisis management and resilience in contested or volatile international waters.
