Korea Coast Guard (KCG)

Water Safety in Korean Territory is taken care by Coast Guard (KCG www.kcg.go.kr)

KCG is mainly involved with Nationwide issues (conflict with bordering countries at sea)

It keeps 30 Civil Organizations per categories (eg sailing, scuba diving, motor boat, emergency rescue, sprint canoeing, rafting and sea kayaking and so on).

 

Korea Sea Kayak Association (KSKA)

Korea Sea Kayak Association (KSKA) is the only registered body in Sea Kayaking Category.

To measure objective level of sea kayaking persons, KSKA has applied civil certification system to KRIVET(Civil Certification and License Administration www.krivet.re.kr), KRIVET gets confirmation from KCG before approval of the certification of KSKA.

 

KSKA Certification

KSKA has 4 levels of skills and safety related certification. Level 1/2/3/4 are those.

Korea Sea Kayak (KSK) Level 1/2/3/4 system were adopted from American Canoe Association(ACA). So much of curriculum came from ACA. However KSKA values another systems of UK(BCU), Norway, Canada, Australia and many other countries.

Currently KSKA has a Estimator and certification holders on each levels.

 

The 1st Official test was held at Deokpo Beach on Aug 2014.

The 2nd ~ 10th Tests are to be on Sundays 12:30 pm at Wahyun or Gujora Beach till end of November.

KSKA Certification is the only Sea Kayak certification in Korea accredited by Korea Coast Guard.

 

BASIC SAFETY CERTIFICATION for Sea Kayak is Level 1

Until end of this year, KSKA is opening level course and tests every weekends. Each Saturday and Sunday 10 am in Wahyun Beach or Gujora Beach. (Check the schedule please.)

Depending on corporates who keep their own internal Water Safety Regulation, they require KSK Level 1 as essential before beginners from their employees or family members go kayaking.

For the course(on completing 6 hours course Level 1 is awarded) click here.

 

OKC/Geoje Outdoor

Okpo Kayak Club is the first and the only Local based Kayak Club in Korea. Kayaking in Korean coastline where are full of fishing net caused endless conflicts between fishermen. Kayaking had been regarded as rich men's leisure like big cruising sail boat in Korea, which is half true as far as Korean Online Kayaker groups are concerned in internet.  One UK manufactured kayak was sold at 10,000 US$ in Korea year ago. Never seen such a price at google before. A Sea Kayak was introduced a couple of decades ago in Korea, for the first time and still its identification is not settled down to most people.

 

Succeeding Namhae Kayak Club (since 2009), it nested in Okpo, Geoje as head of KSKA Julio Ko moved its office to Geoje from Seoul.

As club got bigger, it planned expansion to another 5 years of 5,000 students-growing, it rebranded the business part of the organization and called it 'Geoje Outdoor'. Before OKC used to deal with business things under the same name.

So under the KSKA, there is OKC, also Geoje Outdoor is a business brand of KSKA for commercial management.

 

Still KSKA remains as the authority of safety and certification of Sea Kayaking in the territory. In execution wise OKC does non profit and Outdoor Department does Business Part of organization including variety of other activities.