The cruise ship "Panstar Miracle," which departs from Pohang, South Korea, made its first port of call at Maizuru Port No. 2 Pier in Maizuru, Kyoto Prefecture. The two cities have a friendly relationship through youth exchanges and other activities, and a representative from Pohang visited Maizuru Mayor Akizu Kamoda.
The 171-meter-long ship was newly built by a South Korean operator and launched in April. It mainly operates regular routes between Busan, South Korea and Osaka, but also irregular routes connecting various parts of Japan and South Korea. This time, it will also call at Sakaiminato City in Tottori Prefecture over the course of four days.
Around 11 a.m. on June 6, 2025, about 220 passengers disembarked one after another. They were welcomed by children from the nearby Aioi Kindergarten, and each headed to tourist spots in the northern part of the prefecture.
Mayor Kamoda, who welcomed Pohang City's Director of Oceans and Fisheries, Song Jeong-ho, said, "I hope that the Panstar Miracle, which has made this port call possible, will create new personal exchanges and further stimulate exchanges between our two cities." Director Song responded, "I would like to work together with you on initiatives such as the launch of not only cruise ships, but also (cargo) ferries." The ship departed at around 8 p.m.
