Jon Ki Chol, deputy director-general of the DPRK's Maritime Administration, said this on World Maritime Day of 2014.

From the point of view of the status and significance of marine transportation, the DPRK, surrounded by three seas, has made effort to discharge its international legal obligations and responsibility for ensuring the safety of shipping and preserving cleaner marine environment, he noted, adding:

The country has adopted and implemented such national legislations as "Law of the DPRK on Maritime Superintendence", "Law of the DPRK on Ship Safety" and "Law of the DPRK on Seafarers".

With a view to meeting the specific conditions of the country and international levels, the DPRK incorporated the requirements of the "International Ship and Port Facility Security Code" into national legislation and enforced them to all the DPRK-flagged ships and port facilities under its jurisdiction. On the basis of such experience, it is now taking appropriate measures to introduce them to the ships engaged on domestic voyage.

The country institutionalized the "Pre-sea Inspection System" for the DPRK-flagged ships engaged on international and domestic voyage and enhanced the port State control inspections for foreign-flagged ships entering into its ports to prevent the maritime casualties.

The DPRK has set, as one of its essential maritime policies, the prevention of environment pollution in the seas, rivers and lakes. To achieve this goal, it established a national ship oil pollution emergency response system and "Marine Environmental Protection Centre" and "Korea Marine Environmental Protection Fund". As national legislative framework for them, the "Law of the DPRK on the Prevention of Marine Pollution" and the "Regulations on the Prevention of Pollution from Ships" are in force now.

Meanwhile, the revision of the "Law of the DPRK on Seafarers" is actively onward to comply with the provisions of international instruments. And the introduction of IMO model courses and assessment of competency for the DPRK seafarers has been improved.

The DPRK also formed a national maritime search and rescue system which enables it to quickly respond to the distress calls from ships. And it is fully implementing global maritime distress and safety system, long range identification and tracking system of ship and ship security alarm system.

We will actively engage in the international effort for maritime safety and marine environment protection.