Pukyong National University

Pukyong National University Researchers Board Icebreaker Araon to Launch Full-Scale Studies on Arctic Climate Change and Shipping Routes

― Arctic Ocean and Atmospheric Observations Conducted with Support from the G-LAMP Project Group and the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries

― Monitoring Sea-Ice Changes and Greenhouse Gases to Support Climate-Change Responses and Establish a Foundation for the Use of Arctic Shipping Routes

Researchers from Pukyong National University (President Sang-Hoon Bae) will embark aboard the icebreaking research vessel Araon to conduct studies on Arctic climate change and carry out oceanic and atmospheric observations. Supported by the university’s G-LAMP Project Group and the Polar Open Innovation Program of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, the expedition is expected to play an important role in advancing understanding of the rapidly changing Arctic environment and establishing the scientific foundation needed for the future development and use of Arctic shipping routes.

According to the 2026 Arctic Voyage Master Schedule released by the Korea Polar Research Institute (KOPRI), an affiliated institute of the Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology (KIOST), the Araon will depart from Incheon Port on July 11 and conduct research surveys in the Arctic Ocean for a total of 83 days before returning to Gwangyang Port on October 2. Pukyong National University researchers will participate in the first leg, from July 22 to August 23, and the second leg, from August 23 to September 19, conducting oceanic and atmospheric observations and greenhouse gas monitoring, respectively.

During the first leg of the expedition, researchers Ik-Jun Hwang and Geun-Young Kim from the research team led by Professor Woo-Seok Moon of the Major of Environmental Atmospheric Sciences will board the vessel. The team plans to install an Ice Mass Balance Buoy (IMB) on Arctic sea ice to conduct long-term observations of changes in sea-ice thickness and temperature. They will also use radiosondes to carry out upper-atmospheric observations and analyze the structure and changes of the Arctic atmosphere. Through this work, the researchers aim to identify the causes of Arctic climate change and clarify interactions between the atmosphere and ocean, while securing fundamental data needed to predict environmental changes affecting Arctic shipping routes.

During the second leg, Professor Dong-Heon Lee, researcher Gwan-Ho Kim, and Dr. Young-Seok Jung of the Department of Oceanography will join the expedition. The team will monitor greenhouse gases, including methane, that may be released from subsea permafrost in the Arctic and investigate changes in the carbon cycle caused by climate change. Because Arctic permafrost is known to store vast amounts of carbon, whether it releases greenhouse gases is considered one of the key factors that could determine the future pace of global warming.

The expedition is significant not only for advancing understanding of the mechanisms driving Arctic climate change, but also for securing sea-ice and weather data in preparation for the expanded use of Arctic shipping routes. The field observation data are expected to improve the accuracy of climate models and serve as scientific evidence for the safe navigation of Arctic shipping routes and the development of future polar policies.

The G-LAMP Project Group at Pukyong National University actively supports polar field research to strengthen the global research capabilities of graduate students and early-career researchers. Through their participation in the Araon expedition, students and researchers will conduct observations and experiments firsthand at a world-class polar research site, while building their capacity for international collaborative research.

Professor Woo-Seok Moon said, “The Arctic is one of the regions where climate change is progressing most rapidly, and field observation data are essential for improving the accuracy of climate-change predictions. We hope that the data collected through this expedition will provide an important scientific foundation not only for Arctic climate-change research, but also for the future use of Arctic shipping routes and the development of polar policies.”

Meanwhile, the Araon, commissioned in 2009, is Korea’s first icebreaking research vessel. Operating between the Antarctic and Arctic regions, it conducts polar research across a wide range of fields, including the ocean, atmosphere, cryosphere, and ecosystems. During its 2026 Arctic expedition, the vessel will also collaborate with domestic and international research institutions to conduct diverse studies aimed at identifying the rapidly changing Arctic environment and the mechanisms of climate change. <Pukyong Today>