Travel & Culture
In the easternmost reaches of Korean territory sits a cluster of beautiful islets and reefs called Dokdo. Also referred to as the Liancourt Rocks, Dokdo is a collection of volcanic rocks- big and small- formed from cooled-down lava that gushed from two kilometers underwater between 4.6million and 2.5million years ago during the Pliocene Epoch. Dokdo consists of two rocky islets called Dongdo and Seodo and about 90 rocks and reefs. More than 1,000 land creatures and over 240 marine creatures inhabit Dokdo along with its residents and security guards.
Dokdo is full of life
Many people simply think Dokdo is a single island, but it is actually a collection of two main rocky islets called Dongdo and Seodo and about 90 smaller rocks and reefs including Kokkiri Bawi (Elephant Rock), Chotdae Bawi (Candlestick Rock), and Samhyeongje Bawigul (Three Brother Rocks with Holes). When lava first gushed out to form the rocky cluster 4.6 million years ago, Dongdo and Seodo were one islet, but having been lashed and pummeled by winds and waves over the eons, the islet became what it is today.
Dongdo and Seodo are united 151 meters (495.4 feet) below the water surface. Dongdo, the smaller of the two, has two major volcanic traces on its northern side and its peak is 98.6 meters (323.5 feet) above sea level. Near the eastern tip of Dongdo is a cup-shaped crater with a depth of 100 meters (328.1 feet) that contains seawater coming though two vertical caves collectively called Cheonjanggul. On the slopes of Dongdo grows herbage that is rooted in 20 to 30 centimeters of shallow-layered soil.
Dokdo is 87.4 kilometers southeast of Ulleungdo. Due to its volcanic nature and remoteness from the Korean Peninsula, Dokdo has a unique ecosystem. How changes in climate and other natural elements affect an ecosystem is well demonstrated on Dokdo.
Carried away by the breathtaking view, you will likely be awakened from your trance when the black-tailed gulls rudely welcome you with their droppings on your face, as Dokdo is one of the major breeding colonies of the seabird.
The cone-shaped peak of Seodo is 168.5 meters (552.8 feet) above sea level and is the highest and largest of all the rocky members of Dokdo. Looking like a single steep peak, it has numerous caves on its bluffs. There is a pool of groundwater referred to as Mulgol (Water Valley) that holds the water that seeps out of the cracks between the rocks. The pool is used as a precious source of drinking water for those who live and stay on Dokdo.
Fog, clouds, and wind are old friends of Dokdo. More than 160 days a year, the cluster of volcanic rocks is under the shade of the clouds, which pelt the islets with rain or snow about 150 days a year. It is often so windy that you can only drop anchor on Dokdo for 60 to 70 days a year. There is even a saying that without fortune smiling upon you, you cannot enter Dokdo.
Creatures of Dokdo
Formed by underwater volcanic eruptions, Dokdo has a unique ecosystem, different from that found on the Korean Peninsula. Its sea bed steeply drops down to over two kilometers below the sea, and the species inhabiting it vary with depth. Warm and cold currents mingle in the sea off Dokdo. Sea currents have direct impact on the seawater temperatures and underwater creatures. Large and small rocks and reefs are habitats for sessile marine creatures, which live attached to hard surfaces. All these factors thoroughly explain the richness of the marine species of Dokdo.
On the land located above sea level is a treasure house of biodiversity. More than 1,000 species—animal and plant—inhabit the islets, rocks, and reefs of Dokdo. Ever since its violent creation, a wide range of plant seeds have arrived on Dokdo by wind, currents, and birds. According to the South Korean Ministry of Environment, 57 plant species inhabit Dokdo. Recently, as more outsiders have been accessing Dokdo, more non-indigenous plants such as flowering plants and cultivated species have been brought along for the ride.
Steep and exposed to strong salty winds, Dokdo is not covered with thick layers of soil. Weeds with powerful adaptability tend to survive in the severe environment. Yet, this doesn’t mean that all the plants growing on Dokdo are weeds, as there are also rare and precious plants including three species that only grow on Ulleungdo and Dokdo throughout the world. The South Korean Ministry of Environment has designated 13 floristically rare species as special protected inhabitants of Dokdo.
“Geographically Dokdo is not a good habitat for plants,” says Dr. Song Im-geun, who monitors the biological resources of Dokdo three times a year. “Yet still, spindle trees grow on vertical cliffs, and new species come in and take root. All these point to the vitality of Dokdo.”
57 plant species brave the harsh environment
Different parts of Dokdo have different soil conditions. The sea cliffs face gusty sea winds, and rain quickly drips from steep slopes into the ocean, resulting in dry, shallow layers of soil lacking in nutrients. Naturally, the sea cliffs have become home to colonies of Sedum oryzifolium Makino, Festuca rubra Linné, Aster spathulifolius Maxim, andArtemisia japonica var. macrocephala Pampan. In the moist cracks of the rocks are colonies of Phanerophlebia(L.F.) Copel, while gradual slopes are occupied by Agropyron tsukusiense var. transience (Hack.) Ohwi andEchinochloa crus-galli (L. Beauov). Also, colonies of Fallopia sachalinensis (F. Schmidt.) RonseDecr. are only found on Seodo.
Dokdo dresses up with different garments in different seasons (photo courtesy of Dr. Song Im-geum).
The Ministry of Environment has designated 13 species of Dokdo plants as rare and endangered. One of the 13 isOrobanche coerulescens Stephan. Found on the top and slopes of Dongdo, it has purple flowers and is an extremely endangered species with a high biological value. It is a rare class 5 endangered species. Those that are only found in certain areas on the Korean Peninsula including Ulleungdo and Dokdo are class 4 rare and endangered species. Growing on Dokdo are four class 4 species, the Lonicera Insularis Nakai, Fallopia sachalinensis (F. Schmidt.) RonseDecr., Festuca rubra Linné, and Campanula takesimana Nakai.
Phanerophlebia (L.F.) Copel. is another species to note. Being the only pteridophyte that naturally grows on Dokdo, it forms colonies in the slopes of the water pool on Seodo and a section of Dongdo whose outline closely resembles the Korean Peninsula. A colony of Euonymus japonicus Thunb. (spindle trees) can be observed on the north slope of Cheonjanggul on Dongdo. Considering how steep the slope is, it was birds, not people, that gave birth to the colony. Despite the strong sea winds, rugged 7geography, and almost barren soil, the trees serve as a barometer as to what kinds of trees can grow on Dokdo.
The most frequently spotted species are the Sedum oryzifolium Makino, Aster spathulifolius Makino, Artemisia japonica var. macrocephala Pampan, and Echinochloa crus-galli (L. Beauov.), and Rumex japonicus Houttuyn is spreading quickly these days.
Dokdo dresses up with different garments in different seasons. The first plant that blossoms in spring is the Arabis stelleri de Candolle, which inhabits the gradual slopes and the parts in between Dongdo and Seodo. In May and June, the Sedum oryzifolium Makino, which is the most spread “pioneer plant” on Dokdo, blossoms. The species grows in thin layers of soil on rocks, and fertilizes the soil as it withers and decomposes. From July to September,Artemisia japonica var. macrocephala Pampan, which usually takes root in rocky cracks, is in full bloom. The Asterspathulifolius Maxim is in blossom from July to November, but its prime is in October.
A haven for black-tailed gulls
Situated at the center of the East Sea, Dokdo serves as a pit stop for countless migratory birds that pass through Korea. Black-tailed gulls never fail to visit Dokdo during their mating season, embroidering Dongdo with their black-and-white presence. Up to 23,700 black-tailed gulls reportedly visit Dokdo to breed.
So far, 40 species from 20 different families of birds have been observed on Dokdo. For this reason, the Ministry of Environment designated Dokdo as Specific Island No. 1, and the South Korean Cultural Heritage Administrationdesignated Dokdo as Natural Monument No. 336 as it is a breeding ground for black-tailed gulls (Larus cassirostris), Swinhoe’s fork-tailed petrels (Oceanodroma monorhi), and streaked shearwater (Calonectris leucomelas). Dokdo is a habitat for a wide variety of birds including endangered species such as peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) and honey buzzards (Pernis apivorus).
Marine creatures living on steep slopes
Marine creatures are not as easily spotted as flowers, trees, and birds are, but a rich assortment of marine creatures still live together with the residents and fishermen around the wharfs and lodging areas. Noteworthy among them are the invertebrates. Forty-four species from 23 families of the phylum of cnidarians have been observed. Recently swarms of Nomura’s jellyfish appear from time to time, due to having been swept by waves toward the coastline. Moreover, sea anemones such as Actinia equina and Anthopleura japonica can be spotted along the coastline, and beautiful coral reefs thrive deeper under the sea.
There are more mollusks than cnidarians in the sea off Dokdo. A total of 125 species from 57 families have been recorded. The most commonly spotted types are gastropods (snails and slugs), most of which live on the surfaces of pebbles and rocks in between seeds. From April to June, the sea off Dokdo silently celebrates the mating season of mollusks. Even in the shallow sea off Dongdo, numerous veligers (mollusk larvae) and tiny young mollusks can be spotted.
(top) Corynactis viridis glows a beautiful fluovescent light; (from left) Melithaea flabellifera kukenthal, Tetraclita japonica Pilsbry, Actinia equina Linne (photo courtesy of Dokdo Fisheries Research Center).
The sea off Dokdo is rather cool, so it is a perfect place for seaweed to grow. According to the Korea Ocean Research and Development Institute (KORDI), there are more than 160 species of seaweed here. The sea is also rich with over 100 species of fish including the striped beakperch (aka rock bream; Oplegnathus fasciatus), bulgyhead wrasse (Semicossyphus reticulatus), and largescale blackfish (aka rudder fish; Girella punctata); 33 species of decapods including shrimp, hermit crab, and crab; and 32 species of tube worms including Serpula watsoni and Ditrupa arietina.
The microorganisms of Dokdo are also noteworthy resources. In 2005, a research team led by Dr. Yoon Jung-hoon and Dr. Oh Tae-kwang of the Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB) extracted four new genera and 31 new species of microorganisms from samples they collected from Dokdo. One of the four genera was Donghaeana dokdonensis Yoon, and the germ travelled to outer space with Korea’s first astronaut, Dr. Lee So-yeon.
Last June, the Dokdo Fisheries Research Center of the National Fisheries Research and Development Institute (NFRDI) announced its research findings on the marine resources of the sea off Dokdo, which focused on the long-term changes in the underwater ecosystem of Dokdo using the two edible marine brown algae of Eisenia bicyclis and Ecklonia cava as indicator species. The research found that the sea off Dokdo is a stable ecosystem where creatures grow and breed better than in average seawaters.
“The sea off Dokdo is good for research to find how an ecosystem is affected by changes in nature such as climate change,” says Chun Young-yull, head of the Dokdo Fisheries Research Center.
Mineral resources
In order to be ready for the day when fossil fuels like petroleum and natural gas will be depleted, advanced countries have been trying for years to develop new resources within their own exclusive economic zones (EEZs). One of the promising alternative fuels is methane hydrate. Methane, which under normal conditions is a gas, is trapped within a crystal structure of water under low-temperature and high-pressure conditions in the deep sea that forms an ice-like solid. This solid is a highly potential energy source for the next generation.
Dubbed “burning ice,” when trapped methane is released by heating, it bursts into flames. When 1 m3 of methane hydrate decomposes, 172 m3 of methane gas is released, therefore making methane hydrate a very efficient source of energy. Furthermore, it emits much less carbon dioxide than gasoline and natural gas when it burns, and the volume of deposits is also enormous.
In 1992, South Korean and Russia conducted a joint geophysical investigation in the East Sea and confirmed a possible presence of methane hydrate deposits. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) surveyed the worldwide distribution of methane hydrate deposits for years and found that the seabed around Dokdo is a link that connects methane hydrate-bearing layers in the Pacific Rim. Three offshore basins around the Korean Peninsula—the Jeju Basin, Ulleung Basin, and Japan Basin—are all connected to a belt of methane hydrate deposits, which passes through the Kuril Islands and the Bering Sea to reach Canada, the US, and Chile.
Various birds, especially black-tailed gulls inhabit the islets, rocks, and reefs of Dokdo. It might be obvious that Dokdo is an attractive place for black-tailed gulls to live.
The Ulleung Basin is a link between the Kuril Islands and the East China Sea, and at the center of the link is Dokdo. This belt of deposits passes through the Ulleung and Jeju Basins and reaches the sea near Taiwan. It is not a surprise that enormous volumes of marine methane hydrate deposits are being discovered around Dokdo. A South Korea gas hydrate project team discovered about 600 million metric tons of marine methane hydrate 100 kilometers south of Ulleungdo in 2005. The volume amounts to a 30-year gas supply for South Korea.
The development of techniques to prevent methane emissions during drilling is one of the challenges to overcome in order to tap into this potential clean energy source of the 21st century. “Methane hydrate produces only water and carbon dioxide when it burns,” says Dr. Park Jang-jun, a principal research scientist at the Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (KIGAM). “In that sense, it is a clean energy source, but if methane is released into the air in the process of drilling for it, it might have a tremendous influence on global warming.”
*Article from Korea Magazine (July 2012)
Dokdo is full of life
Many people simply think Dokdo is a single island, but it is actually a collection of two main rocky islets called Dongdo and Seodo and about 90 smaller rocks and reefs including Kokkiri Bawi (Elephant Rock), Chotdae Bawi (Candlestick Rock), and Samhyeongje Bawigul (Three Brother Rocks with Holes). When lava first gushed out to form the rocky cluster 4.6 million years ago, Dongdo and Seodo were one islet, but having been lashed and pummeled by winds and waves over the eons, the islet became what it is today.
Dongdo and Seodo are united 151 meters (495.4 feet) below the water surface. Dongdo, the smaller of the two, has two major volcanic traces on its northern side and its peak is 98.6 meters (323.5 feet) above sea level. Near the eastern tip of Dongdo is a cup-shaped crater with a depth of 100 meters (328.1 feet) that contains seawater coming though two vertical caves collectively called Cheonjanggul. On the slopes of Dongdo grows herbage that is rooted in 20 to 30 centimeters of shallow-layered soil.
Dokdo is 87.4 kilometers southeast of Ulleungdo. Due to its volcanic nature and remoteness from the Korean Peninsula, Dokdo has a unique ecosystem. How changes in climate and other natural elements affect an ecosystem is well demonstrated on Dokdo.Carried away by the breathtaking view, you will likely be awakened from your trance when the black-tailed gulls rudely welcome you with their droppings on your face, as Dokdo is one of the major breeding colonies of the seabird.
The cone-shaped peak of Seodo is 168.5 meters (552.8 feet) above sea level and is the highest and largest of all the rocky members of Dokdo. Looking like a single steep peak, it has numerous caves on its bluffs. There is a pool of groundwater referred to as Mulgol (Water Valley) that holds the water that seeps out of the cracks between the rocks. The pool is used as a precious source of drinking water for those who live and stay on Dokdo.
Creatures of Dokdo
Formed by underwater volcanic eruptions, Dokdo has a unique ecosystem, different from that found on the Korean Peninsula. Its sea bed steeply drops down to over two kilometers below the sea, and the species inhabiting it vary with depth. Warm and cold currents mingle in the sea off Dokdo. Sea currents have direct impact on the seawater temperatures and underwater creatures. Large and small rocks and reefs are habitats for sessile marine creatures, which live attached to hard surfaces. All these factors thoroughly explain the richness of the marine species of Dokdo.
On the land located above sea level is a treasure house of biodiversity. More than 1,000 species—animal and plant—inhabit the islets, rocks, and reefs of Dokdo. Ever since its violent creation, a wide range of plant seeds have arrived on Dokdo by wind, currents, and birds. According to the South Korean Ministry of Environment, 57 plant species inhabit Dokdo. Recently, as more outsiders have been accessing Dokdo, more non-indigenous plants such as flowering plants and cultivated species have been brought along for the ride.
Steep and exposed to strong salty winds, Dokdo is not covered with thick layers of soil. Weeds with powerful adaptability tend to survive in the severe environment. Yet, this doesn’t mean that all the plants growing on Dokdo are weeds, as there are also rare and precious plants including three species that only grow on Ulleungdo and Dokdo throughout the world. The South Korean Ministry of Environment has designated 13 floristically rare species as special protected inhabitants of Dokdo.
“Geographically Dokdo is not a good habitat for plants,” says Dr. Song Im-geun, who monitors the biological resources of Dokdo three times a year. “Yet still, spindle trees grow on vertical cliffs, and new species come in and take root. All these point to the vitality of Dokdo.”
57 plant species brave the harsh environment
Different parts of Dokdo have different soil conditions. The sea cliffs face gusty sea winds, and rain quickly drips from steep slopes into the ocean, resulting in dry, shallow layers of soil lacking in nutrients. Naturally, the sea cliffs have become home to colonies of Sedum oryzifolium Makino, Festuca rubra Linné, Aster spathulifolius Maxim, andArtemisia japonica var. macrocephala Pampan. In the moist cracks of the rocks are colonies of Phanerophlebia(L.F.) Copel, while gradual slopes are occupied by Agropyron tsukusiense var. transience (Hack.) Ohwi andEchinochloa crus-galli (L. Beauov). Also, colonies of Fallopia sachalinensis (F. Schmidt.) RonseDecr. are only found on Seodo.
Dokdo dresses up with different garments in different seasons (photo courtesy of Dr. Song Im-geum).The Ministry of Environment has designated 13 species of Dokdo plants as rare and endangered. One of the 13 isOrobanche coerulescens Stephan. Found on the top and slopes of Dongdo, it has purple flowers and is an extremely endangered species with a high biological value. It is a rare class 5 endangered species. Those that are only found in certain areas on the Korean Peninsula including Ulleungdo and Dokdo are class 4 rare and endangered species. Growing on Dokdo are four class 4 species, the Lonicera Insularis Nakai, Fallopia sachalinensis (F. Schmidt.) RonseDecr., Festuca rubra Linné, and Campanula takesimana Nakai.
Phanerophlebia (L.F.) Copel. is another species to note. Being the only pteridophyte that naturally grows on Dokdo, it forms colonies in the slopes of the water pool on Seodo and a section of Dongdo whose outline closely resembles the Korean Peninsula. A colony of Euonymus japonicus Thunb. (spindle trees) can be observed on the north slope of Cheonjanggul on Dongdo. Considering how steep the slope is, it was birds, not people, that gave birth to the colony. Despite the strong sea winds, rugged 7geography, and almost barren soil, the trees serve as a barometer as to what kinds of trees can grow on Dokdo.
The most frequently spotted species are the Sedum oryzifolium Makino, Aster spathulifolius Makino, Artemisia japonica var. macrocephala Pampan, and Echinochloa crus-galli (L. Beauov.), and Rumex japonicus Houttuyn is spreading quickly these days.
Dokdo dresses up with different garments in different seasons. The first plant that blossoms in spring is the Arabis stelleri de Candolle, which inhabits the gradual slopes and the parts in between Dongdo and Seodo. In May and June, the Sedum oryzifolium Makino, which is the most spread “pioneer plant” on Dokdo, blossoms. The species grows in thin layers of soil on rocks, and fertilizes the soil as it withers and decomposes. From July to September,Artemisia japonica var. macrocephala Pampan, which usually takes root in rocky cracks, is in full bloom. The Asterspathulifolius Maxim is in blossom from July to November, but its prime is in October.
A haven for black-tailed gulls
Situated at the center of the East Sea, Dokdo serves as a pit stop for countless migratory birds that pass through Korea. Black-tailed gulls never fail to visit Dokdo during their mating season, embroidering Dongdo with their black-and-white presence. Up to 23,700 black-tailed gulls reportedly visit Dokdo to breed.
So far, 40 species from 20 different families of birds have been observed on Dokdo. For this reason, the Ministry of Environment designated Dokdo as Specific Island No. 1, and the South Korean Cultural Heritage Administrationdesignated Dokdo as Natural Monument No. 336 as it is a breeding ground for black-tailed gulls (Larus cassirostris), Swinhoe’s fork-tailed petrels (Oceanodroma monorhi), and streaked shearwater (Calonectris leucomelas). Dokdo is a habitat for a wide variety of birds including endangered species such as peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) and honey buzzards (Pernis apivorus).
Marine creatures living on steep slopes
Marine creatures are not as easily spotted as flowers, trees, and birds are, but a rich assortment of marine creatures still live together with the residents and fishermen around the wharfs and lodging areas. Noteworthy among them are the invertebrates. Forty-four species from 23 families of the phylum of cnidarians have been observed. Recently swarms of Nomura’s jellyfish appear from time to time, due to having been swept by waves toward the coastline. Moreover, sea anemones such as Actinia equina and Anthopleura japonica can be spotted along the coastline, and beautiful coral reefs thrive deeper under the sea.
There are more mollusks than cnidarians in the sea off Dokdo. A total of 125 species from 57 families have been recorded. The most commonly spotted types are gastropods (snails and slugs), most of which live on the surfaces of pebbles and rocks in between seeds. From April to June, the sea off Dokdo silently celebrates the mating season of mollusks. Even in the shallow sea off Dongdo, numerous veligers (mollusk larvae) and tiny young mollusks can be spotted.
(top) Corynactis viridis glows a beautiful fluovescent light; (from left) Melithaea flabellifera kukenthal, Tetraclita japonica Pilsbry, Actinia equina Linne (photo courtesy of Dokdo Fisheries Research Center).The sea off Dokdo is rather cool, so it is a perfect place for seaweed to grow. According to the Korea Ocean Research and Development Institute (KORDI), there are more than 160 species of seaweed here. The sea is also rich with over 100 species of fish including the striped beakperch (aka rock bream; Oplegnathus fasciatus), bulgyhead wrasse (Semicossyphus reticulatus), and largescale blackfish (aka rudder fish; Girella punctata); 33 species of decapods including shrimp, hermit crab, and crab; and 32 species of tube worms including Serpula watsoni and Ditrupa arietina.
The microorganisms of Dokdo are also noteworthy resources. In 2005, a research team led by Dr. Yoon Jung-hoon and Dr. Oh Tae-kwang of the Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB) extracted four new genera and 31 new species of microorganisms from samples they collected from Dokdo. One of the four genera was Donghaeana dokdonensis Yoon, and the germ travelled to outer space with Korea’s first astronaut, Dr. Lee So-yeon.
Last June, the Dokdo Fisheries Research Center of the National Fisheries Research and Development Institute (NFRDI) announced its research findings on the marine resources of the sea off Dokdo, which focused on the long-term changes in the underwater ecosystem of Dokdo using the two edible marine brown algae of Eisenia bicyclis and Ecklonia cava as indicator species. The research found that the sea off Dokdo is a stable ecosystem where creatures grow and breed better than in average seawaters.
“The sea off Dokdo is good for research to find how an ecosystem is affected by changes in nature such as climate change,” says Chun Young-yull, head of the Dokdo Fisheries Research Center.
Mineral resources
In order to be ready for the day when fossil fuels like petroleum and natural gas will be depleted, advanced countries have been trying for years to develop new resources within their own exclusive economic zones (EEZs). One of the promising alternative fuels is methane hydrate. Methane, which under normal conditions is a gas, is trapped within a crystal structure of water under low-temperature and high-pressure conditions in the deep sea that forms an ice-like solid. This solid is a highly potential energy source for the next generation.
Dubbed “burning ice,” when trapped methane is released by heating, it bursts into flames. When 1 m3 of methane hydrate decomposes, 172 m3 of methane gas is released, therefore making methane hydrate a very efficient source of energy. Furthermore, it emits much less carbon dioxide than gasoline and natural gas when it burns, and the volume of deposits is also enormous.
In 1992, South Korean and Russia conducted a joint geophysical investigation in the East Sea and confirmed a possible presence of methane hydrate deposits. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) surveyed the worldwide distribution of methane hydrate deposits for years and found that the seabed around Dokdo is a link that connects methane hydrate-bearing layers in the Pacific Rim. Three offshore basins around the Korean Peninsula—the Jeju Basin, Ulleung Basin, and Japan Basin—are all connected to a belt of methane hydrate deposits, which passes through the Kuril Islands and the Bering Sea to reach Canada, the US, and Chile.
Various birds, especially black-tailed gulls inhabit the islets, rocks, and reefs of Dokdo. It might be obvious that Dokdo is an attractive place for black-tailed gulls to live.The Ulleung Basin is a link between the Kuril Islands and the East China Sea, and at the center of the link is Dokdo. This belt of deposits passes through the Ulleung and Jeju Basins and reaches the sea near Taiwan. It is not a surprise that enormous volumes of marine methane hydrate deposits are being discovered around Dokdo. A South Korea gas hydrate project team discovered about 600 million metric tons of marine methane hydrate 100 kilometers south of Ulleungdo in 2005. The volume amounts to a 30-year gas supply for South Korea.
The development of techniques to prevent methane emissions during drilling is one of the challenges to overcome in order to tap into this potential clean energy source of the 21st century. “Methane hydrate produces only water and carbon dioxide when it burns,” says Dr. Park Jang-jun, a principal research scientist at the Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (KIGAM). “In that sense, it is a clean energy source, but if methane is released into the air in the process of drilling for it, it might have a tremendous influence on global warming.”
*Article from Korea Magazine (July 2012)
S&G United, Inc. | Business Registration No. 104-86-23411
#185-6, Donggyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, Korea | 82-2-777-7412 | support@homestaykorea.com
Copyright © 1998~2012 HomestayKorea, All Rights Reserved.
#185-6, Donggyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, Korea | 82-2-777-7412 | support@homestaykorea.com
Copyright © 1998~2012 HomestayKorea, All Rights Reserved.