The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries said on the 4th that it will hold a commemorative event at the Busan Korea Institute of Maritime and Fisheries Technology on Feb. 5 to support the rollout of low-Earth orbit satellite internet for seafarers at sea.
Acting Minister Kim Seong-beom of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF), Vice Minister Ryu Je-myeong of the Ministry of Science and ICT, Lee Seung-woo, chair of the Seafarers' Fund Foundation, the Korea Shipowners' Association, and the Federation of Korea Seafarers' Unions will attend the event.
Low-Earth orbit satellite internet will be supplied through OneWeb and Starlink. It will be supported through the Seafarers' Fund jointly run by labor, management, and the government.
Most ships currently use internet via geostationary satellites. As a result, seafarers have had difficulty sending photos and watching videos. In response, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF) reached an agreement with labor and management in 2023 to introduce ultra-high-speed internet onboard, and the Ministry of Science and ICT revised the frequency allocation table and established technical standards to lay the groundwork for using low-Earth orbit satellite internet.
With the subsequent rollout of low-Earth orbit satellite internet, seafarers can now use the internet at speeds more than 50 times faster than before, comparable to land-based LTE.
The onboard low-Earth orbit satellite internet support program targets internationally required ships and internationally designated ships. Through the Seafarers' Fund, 800,000 won per month per vessel will be provided starting in February. Shipping companies wishing to participate can apply to the Seafarers' Fund Foundation.
Acting Minister Kim Seong-beom of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF) said, "We expect that introducing ultra-high-speed internet onboard will help ease the sense of isolation felt by seafarers who have to live on ships for long periods." Vice Minister Ryu Je-myeong of the Ministry of Science and ICT said, "We have created an institutional foundation so the public can conveniently use low-Earth orbit satellite communications," and added, "We find it meaningful that these efforts have led to improved living conditions for seafarers."