The Republic of Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology (KIOST, President: Hong Gi-hun) carried out a reshuffle of the organization with a focus on creative research, reinforcement of educational capacity, and improved productivity of its management-supporting activities.

Dr. Hong Gi-hun, who was sworn in as the 9th president of KIOST last August, has said that he would put priority on reinforcing the members’ research capabilities, as an agency specializing in marine science and technology-related research and education, to meet the country’s current requirement for the expansion of the economic value and use and preservation of marine resources.

Thus, the organizational reshuffle, which was carried out on November 1, appears to reflect the government’s demand that government-invested research agencies should play a central role in establishing the creative economy, which is the current government’s catchword, as well as the new KIOST president’s management philosophy.

The most noticeable change made through the organizational reshuffle of KIOST is the five discipline-centered research divisions[1] and 12 research centers assigned according to large-scale research subjects.[2] Emphasis was put on securing source technologies for the development of new marine science and knowledge and creating new marine businesses by assigning researchers to research departments according to their specialties, so that they can apply themselves to assignments at relevant research centers.

Commenting on the organizational reshuffle, a KIOST official said, “We expect that the reshuffle will help the agency achieve excellence as a body specializing in marine research and create research results that will contribute substantially to the national economy.”