ICAO in town discussing everything from North to pandemic

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ICAO in town discussing everything from North to pandemic

Juan Carlos Salazar, the secretary general of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), opening this year's ICAO Legal Seminar held at Conrad Seoul in Yeouido on Tuesday. The summit, held every three years since 2006, was postponed for a year in 2021 due to the pandemic. [YONHAP]

Juan Carlos Salazar, the secretary general of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), opening this year's ICAO Legal Seminar held at Conrad Seoul in Yeouido on Tuesday. The summit, held every three years since 2006, was postponed for a year in 2021 due to the pandemic. [YONHAP]

Juan Carlos Salazar, secretary general of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), raised concerns about the increase in the number of unannounced missile tests by North Korea and the impact they may have on civil aviation and airline operations in the region.  
 
He stressed that all ICAO members are required to notify all other members about any potential risks to aviation.
 
North Korea is one of the 193 members of the ICAO.  
 
"Every time North Korea conducts these unexpected tests, one of the first concerns that we have is the precise risks to international civil aviation," Salazar said.  
 
Since the beginning of the year, North Korea has tested missiles 12 times.  
 
Salazar, an aviation legal expert, served as the head of Colombia's civil aviation agency before assuming his current role in August last year. He was in Seoul on Tuesday to attend the ICAO Legal Seminar.  
 
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has been hosting the event every three years since its inception in 2006.
 
The head of the aviation agency, which is a UN body, said he welcomed the potential opening of direct flights between North Korea's Pyongyang and South Korea's Incheon, first raised as a possibility in 2018. He added that the issue should be negotiated by the two member states.  
 
North Korea in February 2018 requested an air route passing through the Incheon Flight Information Region (FIR).  
 
This year's seminar is the first held since the pandemic started. The summit was supposed to be held in 2021 but was postponed.
 
"After two years marked by the international public health crisis, it is tremendously encouraging that this seminar can take place in a hybrid format and with a large number of participants in person in Seoul," Salazar said in his keynote speech. "I for one am very pleased to finally travel and meet with state officials and other stakeholders in person."  
 
Q. North Korea has been testing missiles since the beginning of the year. What role is the ICAO taking to ensure safety during the missile launches?  
 
A. The focus of the ICAO is related to the safety of international air operations.  
 
So basically, ICAO member states including North Korea are expected to notify all other member states and adjacent countries of any activity or incident arising from its territory that may pose risks to nearby civil aviation and operations.  
 
That's from the safety perspective.  
 
Every time North Korea conducts these unexpected tests, one of the first concerns that we have is the precise risks to international civil aviation.
 
As one of the United Nation's agencies, I stand in line with the United Nation's stance on North Korea's test.  
 
The ICAO council has reiterated its serious concern about these unannounced North Korean missile launches, which are not aligned with international law, the framework or the agreement that was made with the United Nations, and pose serious risks to international civil aviation  
 
No, we do not have a regular channel with North Korea, unfortunately. We communicate formally through a form of communication utilized by ICAO called State Letters.
 
When these situations arise, we send a formal letter to the state expressing our concern.  
 
Basically because of international sanctions, we are limited in the engagements we can have with North Korea.  
 
How should discussions about flights between North and South Korea be handled?  
 
Bilaterally.  
 
The preamble of the Chicago Convention says international air connectivity fosters peace and exchange among nations, so from ICAO's perspective, I will say that if such an agreement is made between the two countries — South and North Korea — we will welcome that.  
 
ICAO will be ready to support any decisions that the two states make in that regard.  
 
What's your view on the Russia-Ukraine crisis?  
 
Regarding the conflict in Ukraine, first I would like to say ICAO is aligned with the United Nations' stance.  
 
Our council has expressed condemnation of the actions that took place regarding Ukraine.  
 
Secondly, the ICAO has been communicating with all member states that are concerned, reminding them of the commitment under the Chicago Convention and that every member state respects that commitment and provides safe, secure, international travel over their territory or between those two territories.  
We can discuss the matter at the ICAO council, which is the deliberating body of the organization.  
 
 How has Covid-19 affected civil aviation, and what is the solution moving forward?  
 
Global civil aviation has been hit by the restrictions on international travel, and the lesson that we have learned is that we need to promptly recover the harmonization of requirements for international travel.  
 
And be able to give assurances to governments and health authorities and the traveling public that the protocols are efficient and safe.
 
Air travel still remains the most safe mode of transportation that exists, and air transportation is necessary more now than before to reconnect the world and recover international air connectivity.  
 
Harmonization and collaboration are essential.  
 
How do you expect aviation security post-Covid-19 to change?  
 
We see a change in the trend towards making the security standard high while facilitating the inflow of international passengers. On the other hand, we see an increasing use of touchless technologies that will allow these same security standards to be complied with the least possible points of contact.  
 
Complying with aviation security standards but seeking ways to make it safe from the health perspective.  
 
Touchless security on the one side, and on the other side, the utilization of more technologies and perhaps intelligence information that make the process seamless.  
 
What other topics are being discussed at this year's summit?  
 
Another topic being discussed in this seminar is the utilization of a pilotless aircraft, which is a new trend.  
 
Another is the issue of cyber threats. As civil aviation today relies more on digital solutions and technology, there are more risks for civil aviation in terms of cyber attacks and cyber threats.  
 
Climate change and how civil aviation contributes and is committed to reducing the impact on the environment. We'll be demonstrating all the efforts civil aviation is making to reduce the impact on the environment.  
 
Another topic that is being discussed here is support for families of accident victims. The ICAO is making a tremendous effort to be closer to the needs and the circumstances that surround accidents.  
 
The whole aviation community feels the pain and agony when accidents occurs.    
 
Another issue discussed is the recovery of civil aviation and how we can speed up and harmonize the requirements and facilitate the flow of international travelers.  
 
We see how this country and this region are now starting to slowly but surely do away the restrictions and facilitate international travel.  
 
We expect that will also be reflected in more connectivity sooner than later.
 
 

BY LEE HO-JEONG [lee.hojeong@joongang.co.kr]
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