The 19th Arctic Technology Research Committee’s Summer Research Meeting was held from June 29th (Thursday) to 30th (Friday), 2023. The research meeting was held at the Korea Polar Research Institute (KOPRI), one of Korea’s main polar research institutes, in celebration of its 10 year anniversary.  

The meeting consisted of three special sessions and 13 general sessions. Vice President Shin Hyoung Chul of KOPRI took the stage as the first presenter, who briefed about the ‘Paradigm of Polar Research in Korea and the Social Benefits of Cooperation between Science and Technology’ in his special lecture. His reproduction of the history of polar research along with the development of observation technology was quite captivating. The special session continued with case studies from the Arctic and Antarctic regarding the impact of microplastics in polar environments as well as reports on the current status and prospects of fisheries in the Arctic Ocean. The following general sessions also covered interesting research findings on polar science and policies.

Day 2 consisted of a tour of KOPRI and presentations on polar policies and engineering. In particular, Korean Navy was present at the meeting, showing much interest in their potential utilization of the polar regions. The two-day meeting has successfully served as a venue for in-depth discussions on polar research, while playing a significant role in building a collaborative system through exchanges among the researchers. 

The 19th Arctic Technology Research Committee’s Summer Research Meeting, held at the Korea Polar Research Institute, has proven itself as a platform for collaboration and networking among experts in a wide range of research fields. We expect the Arctic Technology Research Committee, with its decade-old history, to further serve as a cornerstone for Korea in becoming a polar power of the world in Arctic studies in the future.​