On September 2, the Korea Institute of Ocean Science & Technology (KIOST) signed an agreement with the P.P. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology of the Russian Academy of Sciences (SIO RAS) to strengthen research cooperation in Vladivostok, Russia.

Founded in 1946, the SIO RAS, based in Moscow, Russia, has some 1,300 experts and operates five research vessels and four manned submarines, including the Mir, which is capable of submerging to depths of up to 6,000 meters. It is a marine research institute that is widely recognized for its accomplishments in the fields of physics, biology, and geology.

Since 1990, KIOST has actively cooperated with Russia on climate change, organism, environmental protection, marine governance, and arctic exploration. In 2015, it entered into a memorandum of agreement with Russia’s IMB to step up cooperation in the Far Eastern Region of Russia. In addition, the latest agreement with SIO RAS is expected to strengthen KIOST’s research capabilities in a range of areas, including climate change, underwater acoustics, and underwater robot development.

KIOST President Hong Gi-hoon noted, “With this agreement, we will promote full-fledged cooperation, including joint marine research, personnel exchanges, and technical cooperation. He added that the agreement will set the stage for expanding research cooperation with institutes the eastern region of Russia. 

【Photo 1. Hong Gi-hoon, president of KIOST (left), and Peter Zavialov, deputy director of SIO RAS (right), exchanging copies of the MOA】

【Photo 2. Commemorative photograph of the two organizations after signing the MOA】