▲ This file photo, provided by the Ministry of Planning and Budget, shows the sign at its headquarters in the central city of Sejong. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

By Kang Yoon-seung

SEJONG, Sept. 21 (Yonhap) -- The budget ministry on Monday pledged budget support for the Korea Coast Guard's plan to acquire three additional patrol cutters by 2030 as part of efforts to bolster the country's maritime security.

The Ministry of Planning and Budget said it has reviewed funding for the program with the Coast Guard. The 2027 budget proposal allocates 51.2 billion won (US$36.9 million) to the 366 billion-won project to acquire the 3,000-ton-class vessels.

"The latest project aims to safeguard South Korea's maritime sovereignty in the West Sea and strengthen its patrol and response capabilities," the budget ministry said.

The ministry said the 2027 proposal includes 43.9 billion won to complete the construction of another vessel as part of a broader plan to increase the number of 3,000-ton-class patrol cutters operating in the West Sea from 11 in 2025 to 17 by 2030.

The ministry earlier allocated 2.22 trillion won for the Coast Guard in next year's budget proposal, up 6.7 percent from a year earlier, citing the need to strengthen maritime security capabilities and step up enforcement against illegal fishing.

"Through the budget, the ministry plans to actively support the country's vision of safeguarding maritime sovereignty and ensuring safe seas," it added.

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