Improving Education and Certification Systems for the Prevention of Serious Accidents in High-Risk Commercial Diving

Commercial diving is a high-risk profession that requires advanced operational competence in pressurized underwater environments, real-time decision-making, and effective emergency response. However, the current diver certification system in Korea is constrained by its permanent licensing structure, limited role-based classification, and the absence of post-certification competency evaluation. This study analyzes these structural deficiencies through a comparative review of international frameworks, including IMCA, ADCI, and ADAS, which use various combinations of certification renewal and continuing-competence requirements, logbook-based experience verification, and periodic medical assessments. A conceptual application of the power law of forgetting illustrates how operational competence may decline without regular training, highlighting a limitation of a non-expiring certification model. To enhance diver safety and align the domestic system with global standards, a dynamic, renewal-based qualification framework should be adopted.. The study further emphasizes the need for institutional capacity to support such reforms. In particular, public higher education institutions with specialized expertise in marine operations may be well-positioned to lead standardized, internationally aligned diver-training programs.