The Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology (KIOST, President Hong Gi-hoon) has begun building the GOCI-II Joint Ocean Reference Network, utilizing stations at home and abroad, ahead of the launch of the Chollian Ocean Satellite 2 (GOCI-II).

In contrast to the Chollian Geostationary Color Imager I (GOCI), which is limited to observing the Korean Peninsula and surrounding areas, the GOCI-II is being developed as a geostationary color imager capable of observing the entire hemisphere, including the Western Pacific Ocean and Indian Ocean.

These areas include diverse climate zones, such as temperate, tropical, and subtropical zones, and atmospheric zones that are influenced by the seas in both the northern and southern hemispheres, which will make the task of processing satellite data and ensuring accuracy highly difficult.

In an effort to address this issue, KIOST is planning to build the GOCI-II Joint Ocean Reference Network (GI-JOON) for the seas that fall within the scope of observation of GOCI-II.

After moving to its new office in Busan in September 2017, KIOST will begin installing measurement and observation equipment at not only domestic science research stations in Busan and Tongyeong; on Ulleungdo, Socheongcho, and Ieodo; and in the East Sea; but also at stations in Micronesia and Fiji, the axes of the Southern Pacific Ocean. It will also work with ocean science research centers in Australia and the Philippines to install GI-JOON monitoring stations at other overseas research centers.

Furthermore, it is planning to install a portable spectrometer, which is currently being developed by KIOST, on its research vessels, including the Isabu, Onnuri, Ieodo, and Jangmok, to continuously collect measurement data in the Pacific Ocean and Indian Ocean for use by GI-JOON.

President Hong commented, “Today, KIOST is receiving worldwide attention as a leading institute in the field of geostationary marine satellites for its successful operation of GOCI, the world’s first geostationary marine observation satellite. And the establishment of GI-JOON will further reinforce our position as a world leader in this field.”

GOCI is the Geostationary Marine Satellite Utilization Research (Phase II) project of the Korean Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, and is supervised and operated by the KIOST Korea Ocean Satellite Center. Currently being jointly developed by the Korean Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning, and Ministry of Environment, GOCI-II is planned for launch in 2019. KIOST is also developing the GOCI-II terrestrial station.
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