PA needs independence

While the drive for a Pusan Port Authority is constantly being thrown against the rocks, it is becoming clear that the Port Authority has to start as an independent organization outside of the government's influences.

At the consortium for the 'Pusan development strategies in the second openings', Professor Moon, Seoung-hyuk from the Korea Maritime University asserted that the Port Authority should be conceptually different from a public corporation. It has to be an independent organization free from government influence.

Professor Moon also pointed out that it must be equipped with a professional management system and be legally secured the right to independence of its personnel management and self-governance of finances as is the case with the KCTA. These, the professor explained, are prerequisites to operate the PA system efficiently.

He also called for a more complete understanding of the PA system, as the government has continuously been offering opinions not fit to the peculiarities of or basic meaning of the system.

He recommended that the government hand over operating rights to the International Port Management Committee, such as was done in Taiwan.

Meanwhile, the manager of the Port Development Department at MOMAF, Kang Beom-koo, said that the government will provide more capital for the Pusan New Port Project in order to operate the currently super-saturated port more smoothly and expand the number of berths to 30 from the 25 planned earlier. The port would then open by 2005, two years earlier than the originally scheduled 2007.