Sejong University and the Sejong Research Institute proposed to build a new maritime transportation route directly passing through the north pole in a seminar on "Arctic Route Development" on Thursday.

In the seminar held at the university’s Daeyang AI Center in Seoul, Choo Myung-gun, the university’s honorary chairman, envisioned the need to develop an Arctic route for maritime transportation. Choo explained that the route would contribute to South Korea’s economic development.

According to Choo, the development of the Arctic route will help South Korea reduce the distance of existing transportation routes by 28 percent and also cut down on transportation costs.

Currently, South Korea delivers shipments to European countries via the Suez Canal with a travel distance of some 22,000 kilometers. According to the Korea International Trade Association, the travel distance would be cut down to 15,000 kilometers if ships departing from South Korea could directly pass through the North Pole.

While the existing Northeast passage faces challenges due to the presence of icebergs, the university explained that the melting ice caused by global warming would reduce iceberg density in the Arctic region, which could in turn create an opportunity for South Korea to explore the route before other countries.

Russia, being in close proximity to the Arctic, has also shown interest in utilizing the Arctic route. However, the cost of operating icebreakers has been a hindrance for Russia, offsetting the advantages of the alternative route. Park Change-je, a professor of nuclear engineering at Sejong University, suggested that adopting small modular reactors in icebreakers could significantly reduce operating costs.

An official at the university said South Korea should not only focus on developing small modular reactors but also pay attention to how to adapt them into icebreakers, which would bring economic benefits.

As for any potential conflicts with Russia during the development of the route, the university stated that South Korea can pursue its own interests in the region as the Arctic area is an international zone.

South Korea could also receive fees from other countries for the use of its icebreakers in the area, the official said.

As the idea for route development is still in its early stages, the university encouraged various organizations, including the government and local businesses, to participate in development discussions.

The Thursday seminar was attended by various delegates from the government and business corporations, including Senior Researcher Choi Joong-hyo from Hanwha Ocean and Kim Min-su, head of the Center for Economic Strategies under the Korea Maritime Institute.