KPL
(KPL/Yonhap) A major global maritime conference kicked off in Republic of Korea's southeastern port city of Busan on Tuesday to provide a platform for international discussions on the sustainable future of the ocean.
(KPL/Yonhap) A major global maritime conference kicked off in Republic of Korea's southeastern port city of Busan on Tuesday to provide a platform for international discussions on the sustainable future of the ocean.
The 10th Our Ocean Conference (OOC) set sail under the theme "Our Ocean, Our Action" for a two-day run at BEXCO, about 325 kilometers southeast of Seoul.
Some 2,300 officials, including government delegates from 100 countries and the leaders of international institutions and nongovernmental organizations, have joined the event, according to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries.
Former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, who spearheaded the establishment of the conference, and Peter Thomson, the United Nations (U.N.) secretary-general's special envoy for the ocean, were among the participants.
"At this moment, many people are facing risks to their livelihoods and losing their homes due to the rise of sea levels, marine garbage and depletion of fishery resources," Oceans Minister Kang Do-hyung said in an opening speech at the event.
"To resolve these problems, we need a more concrete and innovative action plan," he added.
KPL
