The Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology (KIOST, President Kim Woong-seo) and Korea Hydrographic and Oceanographic Agency (KHOA, Director General Lee Dong-jae) announced that Korea’s top three ocean research stations？Ieodo Ocean Research Station, Shinan Gageocho Ocean Research Station, and Ongjin Socheongcho Ocean Research Station have been registered with the UN’s Ocean Sustained Interdisciplinary Time-series Observation System (OceanSITES).

Overseen by the Joint Technical Commission for Oceanography and Marine Meteorology (JCOMM) of UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) and World Meteorological Organization (WMO), OceanSITES has been successfully conducting marine observations since its inception in 1999. It promotes the long-term production and sharing of quality observation data in various fields, including marine physics, biology, chemistry, and geophysics, for all layers of the ocean via fixed oceanographic observation systems located in major ocean areas.
Currently, OceanSITES lists over 300 websites operated by the world’s leading marine research institutions, such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), Scripps Institution of Oceanography in the United States, National Oceanography Centre (NOC) in the United Kingdom, and Japan Agency for Marine Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC). As for Korea, Seoul National University’s EC1* has been registered and active since 2011.
* EC1: a mooring line installed by Seoul National University to observe deep-sea currents between Ulleungdo and Dokdo at a depth of 2,250 meters.

The registration of Korea’s ocean research stations with OceanSITES is a meaningful accomplishment that was made possible through over a decade of close cooperation among KIOST, KHOA, and numerous university research teams as well as the long-term, continuous support of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries. Importantly, the official participation of the ocean research stations in international oceanic observation activities allows Korea to contribute to efforts to address climate change and other global environmental issues as a member of the international community.
Shim Jaeseol, a senior researcher at KIOST who is in charge of the research projects at the ocean research stations, explained, “Originally, OceanSITES was a deep-sea observation system that monitored ocean waters down to a depth of 1,000 meters or more. Although Korea’s ocean research stations are located only 15 to 50 meters underwater on continental shelves in the Yellow Sea and East China Sea, they were still registered, thanks to OceanSITES’ ambitious decision to expand its observation activities from the deep sea to continental shelves. The registration of Korea’s ocean research stations is significant because it represents international recognition of the value of the oceanographic research conducted by these stations and allows their results to be shared around the globe.” He went on to add, “As a member of OceanSITES, we will do our best to work together with the KHOA and many researchers, with the support of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, to conduct quality marine observation and research activities in the future.”