South Korea has been named a council member of the International Civil Aviation Organization for the fifth consecutive term, the government said Wednesday.

The country garnered 156 votes from 176 member countries taking part in the ICAO assembly held in Montreal, Canada, coming in second among 14 countries competing in the election, according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

“The country’s fifth consecutive election to the ICAO council shows that the country has clearly established its leadership in the international aviation society,” the ministry said in a press release.

“Based on such leadership, the government will continue to work to improve the competitiveness of the country’s flag carriers and also build the Incheon (International) Airport into a regional hub in Northeast Asia,” it added.

The ICAO is a specialized agency of the United Nations and the world’s highest authority in aviation. South Korea joined the ICAO in 1952, five years after the agency was established.

Its council currently consists of 36 member states, each serving a three-year term. (Yonhap News)