▲ K-shipbuilding consulting event held in Cartagena (Source: Industry-University Cooperation Foundation of CWNU)

CWNU held a, "K- Joseon Consulting Day,'' event on the 23rd in Cartagena, Bolivar, a port city 1,127km away from Bogota, Colombia's capital. Since 2022, the event has been held as part of the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA)'s Project Management Consulting (PMC) Service Project, to build a foundation for revitalizing the Colombian shipbuilding industry. CWNU has been selected as an implementation agency for the above project and is transferring advanced shipbuilding technology from Korea. The above event was attended by key figures such as the Deputy Director of the Colombian Maritime Affairs Agency, the Korean Ambassador to Colombia, the President of the Federation of Colombian Industries, and Colombia's Productiva, all confirming high, local expectations for the above project.
The Colombian Shipbuilding Industry Revitalization Foundation PMC Service Project is a three- year project, which began in January 2022 and will continue until December 2024;it is the first KOICA Official Development Assistance (ODA) project organized by CWNU's Industry- University Cooperation Foundation. The Colombian government is currently adopting shipbuilding as one of its key industries in its social agreement for economic growth and job creation policy. The Colombian government is trying to grow and develop the shipbuilding industry into a core industry, focusing on steel ship- building. However, the Colombian government is having difficulty in developing the new steel ship- building project due to the lack of policies for steel ship construction, the lack of a human base, and the lack of supply chain construction between companies. Currently, the Colombian shipbuilding industry has only secured local markets centered on shipbuilding repairs, GRP (Glass Reinforced Plastic) ships, and small ships, as it is difficult to secure other overseas markets or create large added value.
Korea Maritime Technology Co., Ltd., K Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., Small and Medium Shipbuilding Research Institute, and Korea Productivity Center, which will participate as consortium companies and institutions with CWNU's Industry- University Cooperation Foundation, are dispatching market analysis experts and shipbuilding experts to Colombia. The above specialists are carrying out long- term activities to strengthen the design capabilities of the Colombian shipbuilding industry, improve production methods, establish technology manpower training measures, and establish plans for the development of the shipbuilding industry. Through this cooperation, it is expected to establish a foundation for policy promotion in the shipbuilding industry and to innovate the business of small and medium- sized companies related to shipbuilding.
CWNU is striving to promote relations with Colombia through the above project. In fact, on February 22, 2022, Juan Carlos Caiza Rosero, the Colombian Ambassador to Korea, visited the school in person after CWNU was selected as the project's execution agency. Colombia's Ambassador visited the school and discussed ways to promote friendship and cooperate with President Lee Ho- young. In addition, on September 3 of the same year, shipbuilding technical personnel from the Cartagena area, where the PMC project was underway, were invited to Changwon. For four weeks, they experienced the current status of Korea's shipbuilding centered on the Gyeongsangnam- do region and returned after receiving training. In addition, in February, CWNU signed an agreement to expand international exchanges at the official invitation of Colombia's prestigious universities such as Columbia Naval Academy, Los Andean University, and the University of Javeriana. CWNU then plans to hold an invitation training session for 25 related public officials in Colombia in May of this year to prepare policies for the continued development of Colombia's shipbuilding industry.
"Colombia is the only Latin American country that participated in the Korean War and contributed greatly to the construction of the Republic of Korea today," said Yoon Sang- hwan, a professor of industry- academic cooperation at CWNU. The PMC service project is more than just an international exchange. Colombia was the only Latin American country to send 5,100 troops to the Korean War, cementing historical ties with South Korea. As it is a country that has historically been connected to Korea, CWNU hopes that future international exchanges between Korea and Colombia will continue to be a success.

By Kim Min-seong, cub-reporter  kms9494274@gmail.com

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