선원의 해상조난자 지원제공의무와 선원 보호에 관한 소고

It is one of the International Customary Law to render assistance for persons in distress at sea, and thus seafarers have rendered assistance for persons in distress at sea for a long time. However, recently, many refugees have been generated due to the crisis of international society in relation with political, economic and religious situations, and these refugees became a persons in distress at sea during their migrating through the ocean. Therefore, seafarers need to save more persons in distress at sea than ever before, and this situation leads to the seafarers’ burden in terms of safety of seafarers and economical loss of ship. Therefore, a necessity to protection of seafarers has been increased so far. Thus, this study examines international and national laws and regulations related with seafarers’ duty to render assistance a person in distress at sea, status of persons in distress at sea, and necessity to protection of seafarers and its improvement plans. In conclusion, it proposes the amendment of related international conventions stipulating seafarers’ duty to render assistance a person in distress at sea, and the cooperation measures at an international level to protect seafarers.