South Korea seeks ICAO status upgrade

South Korea plans to create an organization dedicated to the International Civil Aviation Organization, aiming to upgrade its status and raise global competitiveness, officials said Tuesday.

The Transport Ministry said it will create a team named, ICAO and Global Partnerships, responsible for policies related to international civil aviation.

ICAO is a UN specialized agency, established by States in 1944 to manage the administration and governance of the Convention on International Civil Aviation. 

It sets rules on international aviation and is involved in various aviation-related disputes. It also coordinates interests among member countries. Korea joined the organization in 1952.

The ICAO is made up of an assembly, a council of limited membership with various subordinate bodies and a secretariat.

The board, ICAO’s substantive decision-making body, is divided into Part I, II and III for different responsibilities. It is appointed every three years. Part I members act as major transport bureaus, while Part II are countries contributing to navigation facility installations, and Part III, regional representatives.

Since the establishment of ICAO, some countries, including the US and France, have maintained their status as Part I board members, using them to set international policies and standards favorable to the development of their industries. Japan and China are also members of the Part I group.

Korea was elected to Part III of the council in 2001, 50 years after its membership, and has served as a council member state for seven consecutive times.

According to ministry officials, Korea has now achieved the same level of external growth as that of Part I States, including 6th in air transport size and 11th in ICAO’s financial contribution.

Through the newly established team of ICAO and Global Partnerships, the government plans to upgrade its influence in the council.

“With this launch (of the team), we will reorganize our strategy for strengthening international competitiveness and lay the groundwork to become a Member State in the upper group of the ICAO Council in the future,” said Kim Sang-do, head of the Office of Civil Aviation of Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

By Shin Ji-hye (shinjh@heraldcorp.com)