ESTABLISHMENT OF ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH CENTER

[Anchor Lead]

The body of waters off the coast of Korea's easternmost Dokdo Islets is drawing attention for various marine creatures inhabiting there. A national research center studying the ecological features of Ulleung-do and Dokdo islands will likely be established to preserve biodiversity in the region.

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A site where cold and warm currents meet, the seabed near Dokdo Islets is known to be a maritime ecological treasure trove. Nearly 400 marine species from invertebrates to corals, sea weed and fish have been identified here. The National Marine Biodiversity Institute of Korea is looking to find some 30 more new and unidentified species in the categories of sea sponges, arthropods and fish.

[Soundbite] DR. KIM YOON-BAE(ULLEUNG-DO&DOKDO RESEARCH BASE) : "It serves like an oasis in a desert. It is quite diverse, given the population density."

However, pollution, overfishing and environmental changes are wreaking havoc on the oceanic ecosystem near Dokdo. This is why some marine creatures such as rock breams, Dokdo shrimps, sea cucumbers and abalones, need to be released back into the ocean. The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries is working to create sea forests by transplanting indigenous sea weeds in order to restore marine biodiversity near the easternmost islets. The Gyeongsangbuk-do provincial government announced a plan to establish a national ecological research center to obtain basic scientific data on the region and provide them to the international academic community.

[Soundbite] KIM NAM-IL(HEAD OF THE EAST SEA RIM REGION HEADQUARTERS, GYEONGSANGBUK-DO PROVINCIAL GOV'T) : "The most crucial task is establishing a research center to study various marine creatures living near Dokdo and create an ecological base."

Establishing an ecological research center in Dokdo is deemed crucial, not only for the preservation of marine species, but to protect the nation's sovereignty.