The Korea Institute of Ocean Science & Technology (KIOST) announced that the 2019 KIOST International Symposium (KIS 2019) was held at Centum Hotel in Busan from November 4 to 5 (Monday to Tuesday).
 
 Hosted by KIOST for the third consecutive year, KIS is an international symposium that highlights the latest research topics in maritime science every year, shares related achievements, and promotes exchange among researchers to facilitate international cooperation.

 This year’s symposium was held under the theme “Hydrothermal Systems and the Indian Ocean,” with presentations given and discussions held by experts from Korea, the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, and Japan.
 In particular, the symposium was held to share data and research achievements related to hydrothermal systems and the Indian Ocean. The theme of the first day of the event (Monday, November 4) was deep-sea hydrothermal ecosystems and large-scale ocean floor sulfide deposits, while that of second day (Tuesday, November 5) was the exploration of the Indian Ocean and establishment of a framework for international cooperation.

 Hydrothermal systems, areas in the deep sea where hot water heated by magma spurts up like a hot spring and forms a chimney-shaped topography, are an area of great interest to many scientists involved in biodiversity research, securing genetic resources, and exploring deep-sea mineral resources, as they form a unique ecosystem that is completely different from those found on land and most areas of the oceans.
 Based on its world-class research capabilities in relevant research fields, KIOST is planning to develop various core marine biology technologies using the marine life it secured in 2018 after discovering a new hydrothermal system in the Indian Ocean, the fourth such system discovered in the world.

 President Kim Woong-seo said, “The KIS is a meaningful event that brings together leading marine science researchers from countries around the world, including Korea, for the purpose of boosting their research achievements. To this end, I will continue supporting the KIS in order to facilitate its growth as a world-renowned brand of both KIOST and Busan and an international academic event.”