BPA chief runs for IMO secretary general

Lim Ki-tack

By Kang Seung-woo

Lim Ki-tack, president of the Busan Port Authority (BPA), is seeking to become the secretary general of the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

According to BPA on Tuesday, Lim is registering to run in the election, scheduled for June 30.

As a specialized agency of the United Nations, the London-based IMO is the global standard-setting authority for the safety, security and environmental performance of international shipping, according to its website. Its main role is to create a regulatory framework for the shipping industry that is fair and effective, universally adopted and universally implemented.

The incumbent secretary general is Japanese Koji Sekimizu, whose term will expire at the end of this year.

It is the second time for a Korean to run for the position after Chae I-sik, a law professor at Korea University, did in 2011.

“Should Korea produce the IMO secretary general, the status of the nation’s shipping and shipbuilding industries will be able to take a leap forward,“ Lim said.

The secretary general will be chosen by a secret vote of the 40 council members.

A candidate who gains a majority in the first round of the election will win the post, but otherwise the lowest vote-getter will be eliminated in each round until one receives majority approval.

As of Tuesday, there are six candidates running for the election and they are from the Netherlands, Cyprus, the Philippines, Kenya, Russia and Korea, respectively.

The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries is set to support Lim’s candidacy.