Korea will hold the General Assembly of IOC/WESTPAC in 2012

The Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs will hold the 9th general assembly of IOC/WESTPAC (the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Sub-Commission for the WESTern PACific) this year to invite marine science policy makers and experts of the West Pacific region before the 2012 Yeosu Expo.
In the assembly, 100 government delegates from 20 member states including the U.S., England. and

Australia as well as China, Japan, and Thailand will participate and discuss climate change issues such as red tide, remote exploration, marine data management, and coastal management.

It will be held around May 2012 before the Expo opens and will provide the change to attend the Expo and show Korea marine capability.

Korea, as an important member of IOC/WESTPAC, is actively participating in the training program that responds to oil spill accidents and joint research programs.

The Roral Triangle Genetic research Program proposed by Korea in the 2008 assembly was selected as a new research project and will start from 2011 in full swing.<Korea Shipping Gazette>