Korea Coast Guard now comes with toys

A replica of Sambongho, the Dokdo island coast guard ship, made by Korean toy company Oxford.

By Ko Dong-hwan

Korea Coast Guard comes one step closer to its citizens, especially to young children, with a new line of ship toys.

On July 16, the Korea Coast Guard signed an MOU (memorandum of understanding) with a domestic toy company Oxford. “KCG will cooperate with Oxford in developing a KCG toy line and carrying out its trades,” they agreed.

With the MOU signed by both parties, KCG will start providing Oxford with data related to its equipments including guard ship, aircraft, chopper, landing craft air cushion (LCAC) and rigid inflatable boat (RIB). KCG also plans to allow the company to use its cartoon character Haewoori and official logo as well.

KCG has continuously appealed to Oxford, which makes buildable toys consisting of LEGO-like blocks, the need for developing a new toy line devoted to KCG.

The appeal was based on the fact that there are already toys dedicated to other national armed forces like police force, firefighters and soldiers, yet there are none reminiscent of KCG.

KCG expects that the new toy line, which will become available to customers by late 2013, will come handy in promoting nationwide the significance of protecting national ocean sovereignty and the friendly image of KCG.

Oxford, at the time of signing the MOU, conferred KCG a tributary replica toy of Sambongho, the largest guard ship operated by KCG that watches over Dokdo Island coasts.

The real Sambongho, docked at wharf.