KIOST President Hong Gi-hoon elected as senior vice-chairman at the London Convention 
on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter

Republic of Korea chosen to assume senior deputy chairmanship at the convention on marine dumping President of KIOST, Hong Gi-hoon, elected as senior vice-chairman at the London Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter

KIOST announced that its president, Hong Gi-hoon, was elected by unanimous vote to become the senior vice chairman at the 35th Consultative Meeting of Contracting Parties to the London Convention (87 member nations) on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter and the 8th [KHTS1] Meeting of Contracting Parties to the London Protocol (45 member nations). Hong had previously served in the position of second vice-chairman for two years in 2012 and 2013.

Every year, the joint meeting of the London Convention and Protocol can elect one senior vice chairman and one second vice-chairman, who can serve up to four one-year terms.

Hong was the first non-native English-speaking person to be elected as chairman of the Meetings of the Science Group at the London Convention and Protocol in 2011, and served for four consecutive years.

Having joined the London Protocol in 2009, Republic of Korea assumed the chairmanship of the Science Group and held the joint session of the Science Group on Jeju Island. Republic of Korea now performs its role in assessing the compliance of members.

An officer with the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries stressed that Republic of Korea's elevation to the position of senior vice-chairmanship at the joint convention of the London Convention and Protocol is an indication of Republic of Korea's enhanced global status as a nation that promotes international order in the marine environment.

Hong Gi-hoon, who took office as the 9th president of KIOST in August 2014, graduated from Seoul National University with a degree in oceanography and earned his doctorate at the University of Alaska. As an expert in marine environmental science, Hong has been committed to developing technology and policy that supports the prevention of marine pollution caused by the dumping of waste.