The Republic of Korea Ocean Research and Development Institute (KORDI; President: KANG Jung-geuk) has been officially recognized as one of the best government-funded research institutes.

The Republic of Korea Research Council of Fundamental Science and Technology (KRCF) and the Republic of Korea Research Council for Industrial Science and Technology (ISTK) recently cited six organizations for excellence as a result of evaluation of the 2010 management performance of 27 government-funded research institutes. On the list together with KORDI are the Republic of Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST; president: MOON Kil-choo), the Republic of Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science (KIRSS; president: KIM Myung-soo), the Republic of Korea Institute of Machinery & Materials (KIMMS; president: LEE Sang-chun), the Republic of Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (KIGAM; president: CHANG Ho-wan), and the Republic of Korea Railroad Research Institute (KRRI; president: HONG Soon-man). This is KORDI’s third time to be so honored following 2008 and 2009.

Last year, KORDI produced world-class research outcomes. Its researchers shed light on the metabolism of deep-sea microorganisms for the first time in the world, and the paper made its way onto the journal Nature (title: Formate-driven growth coupled with H2 production). There was also the successful launch of the world’s first geostationary ocean color imager (GOCI) and successful transmission of images it captured. Furthermore, KORDI strengthened research cooperation with advanced ocean research institutions by e.g., founding the KORDI-NOAA Lab, and thereby taking Republic of Korea’s ocean science to the next level.

KORDI’s construction and operation of KORDIUM, a marine science experience and exhibition center, has played an instrumental role in raising public interest in marine science. The institute also established a national marine defense and maritime disaster response system, founding a stable foundation for a brighter future of the country’s marine science. Also notable is its successful technology transfer concerning autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) for shallow water operations and underwater acoustic communications systems, recording the best-ever technology transfer performance. All these achievements have brought KORDI into wide acclaim.

The institute evaluation is done every year by KRCF and ISTK in order to evaluate the research and management performance of research institutes under them and connect the evaluation outcomes with their visions, missions, and functions to determine future directions.

In the evaluation, an institute is given one of the three ratings？excellent, good, or adequate. The evaluation results are used to formulate each institute’s future direction and mid-term strategic plans, adjust its functions, set business priorities, and allocate budgets.

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