A four-day training workshop hosted by the ReCAAP Information Center and the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries of South Korea took place from October 27 to 30, 2026, in Busan. The workshop aimed to enhance maritime security capabilities and facilitate information exchange among officials from 13 countries including Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Greece, Japan, South Korea, Laos, the Philippines, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, as well as representatives from the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency and the Indonesian Coast Guard.
Maritime Security Challenges and Information Exchange
Participants in this workshop examined current maritime security challenges in Asia and Europe and various topics including monitoring and response mechanisms to piracy in South Korea, anti-piracy measures by shipping companies, emerging threats to cables and underwater pipelines, and tools for maritime domain awareness and information exchange frameworks.
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Additionally, ReCAAP contact point officials were familiarized with the updated information network system of the ReCAAP Center and conducted exercises for submitting incident reports through a field exercise.
Emphasis on International Cooperation
The Executive Director of the ReCAAP Center, Mr. Vijay Chafkar, stated that "capacity building is one of the three main pillars of the ReCAAP Center's mission." He added that the training workshop in Busan provided a platform for ReCAAP contact point officials to update their knowledge on maritime security issues, information exchange networks, and best practices for combating piracy and armed robbery at sea.
Mr. Jung Do-Hyun, ReCAAP representative in South Korea and Director General of the Marine Affairs and Safety Policy Office of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, also emphasized that "over the past two decades, ReCAAP has established a strong framework for information exchange to combat piracy and armed robbery at sea in Asia." He also stressed the importance of continuing operational cooperation among member countries and international organizations like the IMO, stating that South Korea is actively participating in these efforts.
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