Oceans Ministry Moves to Full-Scale Rollout of Starlink Satellite Internet Onboard Vessels

Monthly Support of 800,000 Won per Vessel Through the Seafarers' Fund
Commemorative Event to Be Held in Busan

The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries will hold a commemorative event on February 5 at the Busan Maritime and Fisheries Training Institute to support the rollout of low Earth orbit satellite internet services such as OneWeb and Starlink, using the jointly managed labor-management-government “Seafarers’ Fund.”

Until now, most vessels have relied on geostationary satellite-based internet, which has restricted seafarers even in basic online activities such as sending photos or watching videos. In response, after reaching an agreement with labor and management in 2023 on the early introduction of ultra-high-speed onboard internet, the ministry has continued its preparations by repeatedly requesting that the Ministry of Science and ICT expedite related procedures, including approval of cross-border supply agreements and terminal conformity assessments.

The Ministry of Science and ICT has approved the domestic provision of overseas low Earth orbit satellite internet services, namely Starlink and OneWeb, by revising the frequency allocation table and establishing technical standards. As a result, vessels can now access internet speeds comparable to terrestrial LTE that are more than 50 times faster than before.

The commemorative event will be attended by Acting Minister Kim Sung-bum of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, Second Vice Minister Ryu Je-myeong of the Ministry of Science and ICT, Lee Seung-woo, Chairman of the Seafarers’ Fund Foundation, as well as officials from the Korea Shipowners’ Association and the Federation of Korean Seafarers’ Unions, who will share the achievements of labor-management-government cooperation. The event will also include the presentation of a plaque of appreciation to the Ministry of Science and ICT and a scholarship award ceremony for Ocean Polytech to support the training of maritime officers.

The onboard low Earth orbit satellite internet support program targets internationally mandated vessels and internationally designated vessels, and will provide 800,000 won per month per vessel from February through the Seafarers’ Fund. Shipping companies wishing to participate can apply through the Seafarers’ Fund Foundation.

Acting Minister Kim Sung-bum stated, “We expect that the introduction of ultra-high-speed onboard internet will help alleviate the sense of isolation felt by seafarers who live on vessels for extended periods,” adding, “We will continue to strengthen cooperation with labor and management to improve seafarers’ working conditions.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.