The Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology (KIOST, President Kim Woong-seo) announced that, on June 22, it held the 2021 London Protocol Engineer Master commencement ceremony in its main hall. The ceremony, in its second run this year, awarded master’s degrees to four graduates from four countries.^*

* Nwe Zin Phyo, Myanmar Port Authority; Manuel Aguilar, Peruvian Navy; Chanel Raynor, National Environment and Planning Agency of Jamaica; and Noriel Ramos, Philippine Coast Guard

  In September 2016, the Meeting of Meeting of Contracting Parties to the London Convention/Protocol adopted a proposal for Korea to operate the Graduate School of London Protocol* Engineering Master of Project Administration, organized by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and KIOST. Since the fall semester of 2018, the program has been offered at the University of Science and Technology (UST) for government officers of developing countries, helping strengthen Korea’s standing within the London Protocol.

* An international convention aiming to discuss contracting parties’ compliance with the prohibition on the dumping of waste in the ocean. Korea became a contracting party to the London Convention in 1993 and to the London Protocol in 2009.

This master course is designed to foster the development of personnel specialized in administering various types of ocean environment and coastal engineering projects, allowing foreign government officers to acquire the ability to comply with international treaties, including the London Protocol, and giving them the knowledge and technology they need to engage in coastal environment management, ocean pollution prevention, and the control of coastal structures and port facilities.

President Kim said, “I am looking forward to the talented students of the London Protocol Engineering Master program acting as a bridge to Korea, promoting international cooperation, and making significant contributions to raising Korea’s status within the London Protocol.”