Korea’s marine science observations have been officially registered in the United Nations (U.N.) international oceanographic data. Shown above is the Ongjinsocheongcho Ocean Research Station in the central part of the Yellow Sea. (Korea Hydrographic and Oceanographic Agency)
By Margareth Theresia
Korea’s marine science observations have been officially registered in the United Nations (U.N.) international oceanographic data.
The Korea Hydrographic and Oceanographic Agency (KHOA) announced on Jan. 23 that its high-quality ocean and meteorological data collected from Ieodo Island, southwest of Jeju Island, and Ongjinsocheongcho Ocean Research Station in the central part of the Yellow Sea had been registered on Ocean Reference Stations (OceanSITES) and SEANOE (SEA ScienNtific Open Data Edition) of the U.N.
Through this registration, Korea has shared with the international community its high-quality data on marine observations that it has collated from 2018 to 2023. It is also considered to have strengthened Korea’s marine observation capabilities and international standing.
The Ieodo Ocean Research Station was built in 2003 in seas 149 km southwest of Jeju Island. It observes marine and meteorological phenomena such as typhoons, outflow from the Yangtze River, and sargassum horneri, a species of brown macroalgae. The research station is also an outpost for research on climate change.
The Ongjinsocheongcho Ocean Research Station was constructed in 2014 in the central part of the Yellow Sea. The station has the optimal conditions for detecting background concentrations of air pollutants in Northeast Asia in an environment unaffected by land.
The two bases monitor the marine environment and air surrounding the Korean waters in real-time, and play a crucial role in detecting climate change, monitoring typhoons, and analyzing marine and air phenomena.
The data observed in 2023 went through a meticulous quality review and systematic processing by experts over the past year and met the international requirements of OceanSITES.
It was submitted to international experts along with data registered from 2018-2022 for peer review.
The Korean data received a Digital Object Identifier (DOI), or individual identification number, from SEANOE, and secured permanent copyright protection and credibility.
margareth@korea.kr
