Korean ships face stricter safety checks at U.S. seaports

SEOUL, Dec. 8 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's ships will likely face increased scrutiny when they use United States seaports as their overall safety level has dropped recently, government officials said Tuesday.

According to the Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs, South Korea
has been excluded from the "Qualship 21," a list of countries for which the U.S.
government gives more favors in conducting safety checks on their ships.
The exclusion came as the port embargo rate for Korean ships has been on the
increase in recent years, the ministry said.
The embargo rate surged to 2.12 percent this year from 1.62 percent last year,
much higher than the benchmark 1 percent required to ensure reduced safety checks
at seaports. The increase for Korean ships can be attributed to poor maintenance
and lack of safety training for crew members, the officials said.
Industry sources expect that South Korea could be included in the "Target Flag"
list next year, meaning that its ships will face stricter and more frequent
safety checks when they are in and out of American seaports.
kokobj@yna.co.kr