Hong Gi-hoon, the 9th president of the Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology (KIOST), officially began his duties after an inauguration ceremony at the auditorium of the main KIOST building in Ansan at 10:30am on August 19 (Tue).

The new KIOST president, Hong Gi-hoon, graduated from Seoul National University with a degree in oceanography, and obtained a doctorate of science at the University of Alaska. He is an insider who joined KIOST in 1986 and, over the years, has worked as the head of biogeochemical research and director of policy development. Hong was appointed as the president of KIOST during his incumbency as a senior researcher at the Marine Environmental Radiation Research Center.

As an expert in marine environments, President Hong concentrated on studying technology and policy development with the goal of preventing marine pollution caused by the ocean disposal of land waste. His other research concerns the movement of carbon dioxide into the ocean, which is a leading study in the field of climate change. Currently, he is serving as the president of the Korea Environmental Dredging Society, which works toward technological development in the field of sediment engineering. Altogether, he has contributed to the development of marine science in Korea by participating in various national and international events.

In 2011, President Hong was elected as the chairman of the Meetings of the Science Group at the London Convention and Protocol, which is an international agreement on the prevention of marine pollution caused by the ocean dumping of waste and other matter. While serving as chairman of the meetings for four consecutive years, he established the standards for the geoengineering project to counter climate change, and continues to make remarkable contributions to enhancing Korea’s position in the field of marine environment conservation.

Hong has published more than 160 articles in major academic journals in Korea and abroad, and has also published about 20 books. He has registered and applied for a total of nine patents. In 2008, he received a Presidential Citation.