Gu Hyeok-chae (구혁채), first vice minister of the Ministry of Science and ICT, attended a ceremony on Wednesday at the Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources marking the completion of the national basic geological map and encouraged geological survey researchers.
The national basic geological map divides areas south of the Korean peninsula's armistice line into 359 zones and charts each zone at a 1:50,000 scale. It is used as basic data in various fields including resource exploration, land use and disaster and safety responses.
Work on 26 zones began in 1924, before Korea's liberation. The remaining 333 zones were produced starting with the Gangneung area in 1962. Nationwide geological map production was completed this year with the completion of a map covering parts of the Jodo Archipelago in Jindo County, South Jeolla province.
Gu said he offered respect and thanks to researchers who have devoted themselves to completing the national basic geological map over a long period. He said the government will continue to actively support the Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources and Korean geoscience so they can maintain global competitiveness.
Jin-ho Lee
jhlee26@d-today.co.kr