Panama Canal Passage South Korea's Fourth-largest... "Strengthening Cooperation with South Korea"

The Panama Canal, a key channel of maritime trade between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, had the fourth-largest volume of South Korean shipments worldwide, the report showed.

According to statistics from the Panama Canal Authority, South Korean ships carried a total of 19.66 million tons of cargo through the Panama Canal between October last year and September this year.

This is the world's fourth largest after the United States, China, and Japan, accounting for 9.4% of the total volume.

Panama authorities say they are seeking to strengthen ties with the South Korean shipping industry in the maritime transport sector as South Korea has recorded the world's fourth-largest cargo traffic for the second consecutive year.

Panama's Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry Carlos Oyos recently met with officials from the Korea Shipping Association and expressed his intention to support Korean shipping companies to ensure their favorable use environment, Panama authorities said.

Panama Canal, an artery for global logistics, is responsible for 4% to 5% of the world's trade volume.

Last year, due to the severe drought in Panama, the water level of the lake that supplies freshwater to the canal fell, and ship traffic restrictions were imposed.