Korean elected as IMO Secretary General

Lloyd’s of London, the world’s biggest reinsurance company, was founded by Edward Lloys at his coffee house in London, the U.K. in 1688. Ship owners had coffee together at the coffee house and discussed how to compensate for damages from ship accidents, which caused the biggest loss at that time. As the marine transport industry has developed centering on the insurance business, international organizations related to maritime affairs are located in London, not any other places such as New York or Geneva. International Maritime Organization (IMO) is not an exception. Headquartered in London, the United Nations (UN) specialized agency pursues the safety and security of shipping and the prevention of marine pollution.

Lim Ki-tack, the CEO of Busan Port Authority in Korea, has been elected as the Secretary General of IMO. Although another Korean Ban Ki-moon is now serving as the UN Secretary General, it holds significance as Lime has become the second Korean chief who leads an UN specialized agency after Lee Jong-wook, the late former Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO). IMO is a large-sized UN specialized agency, as big as WHO and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Only health care specialists or agricultural experts can lead WHO or FAO. As such, only experts in the maritime affairs can join the inner circle of IMO.

Lim is a sailor-turned-public servant, which is a rare case even among public officials of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries. After graduating from the Korea Maritime University in 1977, he worked on ocean-going ships as a mate and acquried a master’s license. Ever since he was hired as a deputy director of the Korea Maritime and Port Administration in 1986, Lim has built his career path pursuing maritime safety alone refusing to work in other areas. He had worked as an Attaché at IMO for three years and led IMO-related works at the Korean Embassy in London for another three years. Such work experiences have turned him into an IMO expert. Based on that, Lim was able to compete on a par with other overseas experts who had been working with the international organization for several decades.

It is a welcoming news that a Korean is elected as the chief of an international organization that deals with maritime issues around the world. Probably, ruling Saenuri Chairman Kim Moo-sung wanted to take some credit for it. Reportedly, Kim is close to Lim as both of them are from the same hometown, Busan. Chairman Kim criticized that the government has not taken any action to support Lim in the election, aiming at the maritime minister. Faced with counter-argument from the ministry, Saenuri Chairman Kim has withdrawn citing that the election was held before the current minister Yoo Ki-jun was appointed. However, Lim made the decision to run for office earlier this year when the incumbent IMO Secretary General gave up on serving consecutive terms due to his ailment. Everyone wants to claim credit at a good occasion but everyone hurries to run away at a bad occasion.

pisong@donga.com