South Korea and the United States have agreed to work together to strengthen maritime safety, the South Korean Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs said on Thursday, Xinhua reported.
The two countries reached the agreement as they adopt a maritime safety declaration on the sidelines of a meeting of the International Maritime Organization in London on Wednesday, according to Yonhap News Agency.
In the agreement, the two sides pledged to make joint efforts to tighten monitoring of port control, expand cooperation in the area of maritime safety sponsored by international agencies and exchange of inspectors.
The cooperation is aimed to prevent accidents and make faster response in case of emergency situations, and also to better protect the environment and deal with potential terrorist threats to ship traffic, the ministry was quoted as saying.
Under the agreement, South Korean vessels will also be " preferentially" treated by the United States Coast Guard (USCG) while entering U.S. ports.
S.Korea, U.S. agree to strengthen maritime safety
South Korea and the United States have agreed to work together to strengthen maritime safety.
