On October 2, the Republic of Korea Institute of Ocean Science & Technology (KIOST), with Jung Kuek Kang as president, signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Indonesia Institute of Sciences (LIPI) to establish a framework for mutual growth in the marine sciences between Republic of Korea and Indonesia.

LIPI is a science and technology research and development institute under the direct supervision of the Indonesian president. It has six coastal research centers in several different seas and 47 research centers in the areas of engineering, earth science, biology, and social science.

Called "The Amazon of the Seas" for its marine biodiversity, the seas of Indonesia are a gateway to the global ocean conveyor belt and a major shipping route connecting the Middle East, Europe and Africa.

With the signing of the MOU, KIOST expects to expand its scope of research into the Western Pacific and eventually discover a new growth engine for the maritime sector by using useful materials extracted from biological samples collected through joint investigation and analysis.

The signing of the MOU enables KIOST and LIPI to cooperate in the following fields: marine biodiversity research and sample collection; detailed analysis of the marine ecosystem and pollution; investigation of global-scale change in the ocean, acidification, ocean circulation modeling, ocean policies; exploration of submarine resources and the development of new renewable marine energy; maritime safety, restoration of coral species, and the mapping of the habitat of coral species.