Mr Lim Ki-Tack of Republic of Korea has
been elected as the Secretary General of the International Maritime
Organization (IMO), with effect from 1 January 2016, for an initial term of
four years. He is the second South Korean candidate to vie for the IMO’s
top position, but the first to win the election.
The vote took place on 30th June 2015 in London, during
the 114th session of the 40-Member IMO Council, which is meeting
from 29 June to 3 July 2015. Mr. Lim beat out five other candidates from
Cyprus, Russia, Philippines, Denmark and Kenya, defeating Danish candidate Andreas Nordseth in the final round for the position. The decision of the Council will be submitted to the IMO
Assembly, which meets for its 29th session from 23 November - 2 December 2015,
for approval.
Mr Lim is currently president of Busan
Port Authority. He served as the Republic of Korea’s Deputy Permanent
Representative to IMO from 2006 to 2009. While serving in this capacity, he was
in charge of all IMO work for South Korea and was Chairman of the Sub-Committee
on Flag State Implementation (FSI) from 2002 to 2004.
Mr Lim has spent nearly four decades
working in various segments of the maritime industry. In his early career he
worked as a commercial mariner for Sanko Shipping Co. and as a Korean naval officer.
He joined the Maritime Port Administration in 1985, while pursuing
post-graduate studies. He holds a bachelor degree in Nautical Science as well
as Masters’ degrees in Business Administration and Maritime Administration. In
addition, he has completed graduate course work in International Law at the
Korea Maritime and Ocean University. Lim began attending IMO meetings as part
of the South Korean delegation in 1986.
Lim was subsequently named Director General
for Maritime Safety Policy Bureau at the Headquarters of the Ministry of Land,
Transport and Maritime Affairs (MLTM) and appointed to the role of Commissioner
of the Korean Maritime Safety Tribunal (KMST).In July of 2012 assumed his
current position as the President of Busan Port Authority.Mr Lim is set to begin his four year
term 1st January 2016, replacing current Secretary-General
Koji Sekimizu of Japan.
Know more about Lim's action plan visit http://www.limimo.org/03_pledge/01_pledge.asp
