South Korea
- Who issues it
- 해양경찰청장 [Commissioner of the Korea Coast Guard] for leisure licences; 해양수산부장관 [Minister of Oceans and Fisheries], through regional maritime offices, for ship-officer licences.
- Minimum age
- 14 years
- Buoyage
- IALA region B
Do you need a licence?
Yes, at sea and inland you normally need a leisure operator licence from 5 hp, or 3.75 kW if rated in kW.
You don't need one for:
- a craft below 5 hp or 3.75 kW
- an unpowered craft
The usual minimum age is 14, or 18 for general grade 1; registered power-craft athletes have age exemptions. Korean craft from 5 GT or with 13 or more passenger places also need a ship-officer licence.
일반조종면허 제2급 · General operator licence, grade 2
From 14
- What it lets you do
- You can operate powered leisure craft from 5 hp, other than sailing yachts, at sea and on inland waters. For larger boats, you also need a seafarer licence.
- How you get it
- You answer 50 multiple-choice questions in 50 minutes and need 60 out of 100 in theory and 60 out of 100 in the practical test. An approved course can exempt you from both tests.
- Where to study
- Study it in Academy
요트조종면허 · Yacht operator licence
From 14- What it lets you do
- You can operate sailing yachts with sails and an engine from 5 hp, at sea and on inland waters. For larger boats, you also need a seafarer licence.
- How you get it
- You answer 50 multiple-choice questions in 50 minutes and need 70 out of 100 in theory and 60 out of 100 in the practical test. An approved course can exempt you from both tests.
- Where to study
- Study it in Academy
일반조종면허 제1급 · General operator licence, grade 1
From 18- What it lets you do
- You can operate powered leisure craft other than sailing yachts. This is the grade for registered water-leisure business staff and general-licence examiners.
- How you get it
- You answer 50 multiple-choice questions in 50 minutes and need 70 out of 100 in theory and 80 out of 100 in the practical boat-handling test.
- Where to study
- Study it in Academy
소형선박 조종사(동력수상레저기구면허) · Small-ship operator, restricted to powered leisure craft
From 18- What it lets you do
- This additional seafarer licence covers powered leisure craft below 25 GT, excluding yachts. You need the corresponding recreational licence as well.
- How you get it
- You apply with the corresponding valid recreational licence, with no additional exam.
- Where to study
- Study it in Academy
소형선박 조종사(요트면허) · Small-ship operator, restricted to yachts
From 18- What it lets you do
- This additional seafarer licence covers yachts below 25 GT. You need the corresponding recreational yacht licence as well.
- How you get it
- You apply with the corresponding valid recreational licence, with no additional exam.
- Where to study
- Study it in Academy
6급 항해사(모터보트ㆍ동력요트면허) · Sixth-class deck officer, restricted to motorboats and powered yachts
From 18
- What it lets you do
- This restricted seafarer licence covers motorboats and powered yachts below 55 GT. You also need the recreational licence.
- Where to study
- Study it in Academy
소형 수면비행선박 조종사(비사업용조종사면허) · Small wing-in-ground-effect craft operator, private use only
From 18- What it lets you do
- You can use small wing-in-ground-effect (WIG) craft privately, provided their maximum take-off weight is below 10 tonnes.
- Where to study
- Study it in Academy
Professional deck titles
6급 항해사(상선)
- What it lets you do
- You can be a coastal merchant-ship master on ships below 200 GT, or chief mate on ships below 500 GT.
- Where to study
- Study it in Academy
5급 항해사(상선)
- What it lets you do
- You can be a coastal master on ships below 500 GT, or an ocean-going second mate on ships below 1,600 GT.
- Where to study
- Study it in Academy
4급 항해사(상선)
- What it lets you do
- You can serve as an ocean-going third mate without a tonnage limit. Higher posts have limits.
- Where to study
- Study it in Academy
3급 항해사(상선)
- What it lets you do
- You can be an ocean-going master on ships below 1,600 GT, or chief mate on ships below 6,000 GT.
- Where to study
- Study it in Academy
2급 항해사(상선)
- What it lets you do
- You can be an ocean-going master on ships below 6,000 GT, or chief mate without a tonnage limit.
- Where to study
- Study it in Academy
1급 항해사(상선)
- What it lets you do
- You can be a merchant-ship master, chief mate or deck officer without tonnage limits.
- Where to study
- Study it in Academy
Radio certificates
제한무선통신사
- What it lets you do
- You gain a qualifying radio credential for a grade 4 radio officer licence in the 전파통신급 branch.
- Where to study
- Study it in Academy
해상무선통신사
- What it lets you do
- You gain a qualifying marine radio credential for a grade 4 radio electronic officer licence.
- Where to study
- Study it in Academy
전파전자통신기능사
- What it lets you do
- You gain a qualifying radio credential for grade 3 radio officer licences.
- Where to study
- Study it in Academy
전파전자통신산업기사
- What it lets you do
- You gain a qualifying radio credential for grade 2 radio officer licences.
- Where to study
- Study it in Academy
전파전자통신기사
- What it lets you do
- You gain a qualifying radio credential for grade 1 radio officer licences.
- Where to study
- Study it in Academy
4급 통신사(전파통신급)
- What it lets you do
- You hold a fourth-class radio officer certificate.
- Where to study
- Study it in Academy
3급 통신사(전파통신급)
- What it lets you do
- You hold a third-class radio officer certificate.
- Where to study
- Study it in Academy
2급 통신사(전파통신급)
- What it lets you do
- You hold a second-class radio officer certificate.
- Where to study
- Study it in Academy
1급 통신사(전파통신급)
- What it lets you do
- You hold a first-class radio officer certificate.
- Where to study
- Study it in Academy
4급 전자급통신사
ROC- What it lets you do
- You hold a fourth-class radio electronic officer certificate, ROC, and can serve as a GMDSS radio officer.
- Where to study
- Study it in Academy
3급 전자급통신사
GOC- What it lets you do
- You hold a third-class radio electronic officer certificate, GOC. Maintenance restrictions can apply.
- Where to study
- Study it in Academy
2급 전자급통신사
- What it lets you do
- You hold a second-class radio electronic officer certificate and can serve as a GMDSS chief radio officer.
- Where to study
- Study it in Academy
1급 전자급통신사
- What it lets you do
- You hold a first-class radio electronic officer certificate and can serve as a GMDSS chief radio officer.
- Where to study
- Study it in Academy
Ready to study for it?
The Academy is free with an account: lessons for every topic, timed mocks marked like the real exam, and your progress saved.
Official sources: National Law Information Center — 수상레저안전법 시행령, Article 4: licence threshold and categories (effective 2025-12-21) · National Law Information Center — 수상레저안전법, effective 2025-06-21: definitions, licensing, ages and exemptions · National Law Information Center — 선박직원법 시행령, Article 4: restricted leisure-craft and private WIG licences (effective 2025-10-01) · Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries / National Law Information Center — 선원업무 처리지침, Annex 5: certificate titles, capacities and restrictions · Korea Coast Guard — 필기/실기: recreational licence written examination and linked practical examination guidance · Gunsan Regional Office of Oceans and Fisheries — International maritime buoyage system