The purpose of this study is to examine the ways to promote activation in public-private partnerships in the rescue and aid at sea. This research will help the understanding of the public-private partnerships in the rescue and aid at sea and the contribution to the advancement of Korea's rescue and aid at sea. Due to increasing vessel traffic in oceans, marine accidents in coastal waters are increasing, and as the Sewol ferry accident and the MT Hebei Spilit pollution tell, there is a necessity for a measure when a marine accident happens. The Ministry of National Security and Safety (Korea Coast Guard) regraded that there are limits with corresponding with marine accidents only with the Coast Guard. Based on the law of rescue and aid at sea and as a part of building public-private cooperation, the Korean Maritime Rescue Association was founded on January 23, 2013. However, after the Sewol ferry accident happened, the Maritime Rescue Associations lost its power and is not doing its work as a private group of rescue and aid at sea. This study analyzed the status of private organizations of rescue and aid at sea of Korea and developed countries along with the perceptions of the Coast Guards on the public-private partnership governance. It also provided a way to activate the public-private partnership governance by considering the domestic situation and problems of the relationships in rescue and aid at sea based on a public-private partnership governance theory. To enable efficient and effective rescue and aid at sea, public-private partnership governance made by activating civilian marine rescue organizations is very important. In order to achieve this civilian rescue organization, Maritime Rescue Institute was asked to provide support and measures.