On September 14 (Friday), the Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology (KIOST, President Kim Woong-seo) held the opening ceremony for the Korea-Indonesia Joint Ocean Research Center in Cirebon, Indonesia, in cooperation with Korea’s Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (Minister Kim Young-chun) and the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs of Indonesia.

The opening ceremony was attended by KIOST President Kim Woong-seo, Deputy Minister Cho Seung-hwan of the Marine Policy Office of Korea’s Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, and Deputy Minister Laksda of the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs of Indonesia.

Promoted as part of Korea’s New Southern Policy, the Korea-Indonesia Joint Ocean Research Center project* was one of the marine cooperation projects upon which the presidents of the two countries came to an agreement during Korean President Moon Jae-in state visit to Indonesia in November 2017. On May 9, Kim Young-chun, Korea’s Minister of Oceans and Fisheries, and Luhut, Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs, signed an agreement on the creation of the Korea-Indonesia Joint Ocean Research Center, officially marking the beginning of the center’s establishment.

* It is the third such joint research center established so far, following the Korea-China and Korea-Peru ocean research centers.

Established on the second campus of the Bandung Institute of Technology in Cirebon, Indonesia, the Joint Ocean Research Center will have two co-directors responsible for overseeing three departments？the Executive Department, Research and Technology Department, and Education and Training Department. Korea will fund the operation of the center, while Indonesia will provide support for related infrastructure, such as offices. Both countries will work together to develop and pursue research projects.

This year, the first year of the center’s operation, the research center will carry out the projects that Korea and Indonesia have agreed to pursue. First, a collaborative research study will be conducted to establish marine energy infrastructure in Indonesia, which is the largest archipelagic country in the world. The two countries will also work on the development of various joint research projects, such as a project to address marine debris, which has become Indonesia’s largest problem, and find ways for Korean companies to invest in Indonesia’s marine plant and port projects. Through the establishment of a joint committee, Korea and Indonesia will continue discussing projects for the center to carry out in the future.

Korea also plans to work with KIOST and other related organizations in Korea to support and foster ocean science and technology experts in Indonesia and expand cooperation between the two countries through seminars and forums.

On September 13 (Thursday), the two countries held a joint workshop to celebrate the opening of the Korea-Indonesia Joint Ocean Research Center and discuss the current status of their marine energy and aquaculture industries as well as measures for cooperation.