Korea Polar Research Institute, KOPDI

About KOPRI > Greetings

Dear visitors.

Korea’s polar research history began in 1987 with Polar Research Center o f Ocean Research Institute which was set up as part of Antarctic station constr uction program. Since that, it expanded from a mere Polar Research Laborator y to Polar Research Institute, a subsidiary research unit of Korea Ocean Resea rch Institute. Korea Polar Research Institute is now a real international polar re search institute operating King Sejong Station in Antarctic and Dasan Station in Arctic.

It is actively participating in several relevant international organizations such as the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Parties (ATCP), the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research and the International Arctic Science Committee(IASC), and become recognized internationally by publishing research achievements in prominent international journals.

Antarctic is the sole part of the earth that can help us secure national interes ts through scientific research while arctic is special in light of the fact that the region requires joint development through joint research with neighboring countries.

In 21st century, scientific researches related with global climate change are expected to draw significant attentions and polar regions will play a critical role in the research on global climate change.

Expanding research activities on a continuous basis in these earth’s last undeveloped and non-polluted regions would be the only way to secure national interests for the country. In order to enhance research activities in polar regions, among others, it is necessary that sufficient infrastructures for supporting such activities are built up. We have a lot of tasks to complete such as the construction of research ice breaker, building up of second station in Antarctic and reconstruction of Dasan station in arctic in order to build up such infrastructures for polar research.

Korea Polar Research Institute, a subsidiary research unit of Korea Ocean Research Institute, will make its utmos t effort to serve the public interests by becoming the only polar research institute in Korea through building up of the infrastructure, and increasing and globalization of research activities.

Korea Polar Research Institute, Director General
Hong Geum, Lee