Academic Report a study on South Korea’s policy for Arctic Logistics

Diagram 2: Russia’s Sea Route Map

4. 
   Further research of South Korea’s Arctic policy in the future
   

Through the Korea Arctic Research Institute Korea studies and examines the Arctic. KOPRI facilitates multi-disciplinary and international studies. For example, work is being conducted at Dasan Station on geological-atmosphere-ecological shift in the climate. It also establishes Arctic 4-d analysis of the environment and carries out work on the connection between high atmosphere and climate change. Ultimately, it studies Arctic contaminants ' environmental behavior and tracks emerging Kongsfjorden toxins.

The Arctic Sea, Beaufort Sea, Chukchi Mea, East Siberian Mea, Bering Sea, Okhotsk Sea, etc. is researched by the institute. At the Beaufort Sea in northern Canada, the institute has managed to collect gas hydrate, while international joint research has produced 100 Lkm of public elastic channels. This conducted collaborative work in the Okhotsk Sea with Russia and Japan and produced marine maps of the Bering Sea coastal area. Korea's work on the Arctic has been expanded to include Circum-Arctic Permafrost, and remote precision measurement systems have been developed in the U.S., Canada, and Norway by securing Station Nord in Greenland. Korea has achieved in tracking sulfide in the Arctic for the first time in history in long term, in real-time. on the basis of this experimental method.
The international community and Arctic nations are responding to Korea's Arctic strategy by work into the Arctic. Korea is prepared to predict climate change by improving data assimilation techniques on Arctic water and sea-ice, and by enhancing short-range numerical Arctic ice prediction technology based on satellite data to provide knowledge on marine ice conditions near the Northern Water.
Korea has also been engaged extensively in developing the Pan-Arctic survey, as well as topographical charts, maps, and the Arctic and coastal region's electronic altitude models. In order to systematize and improve existing Arctic research, Korea has made efforts to establish strong foundations, thus establishing the Korea Arctic Research Consortium (KoARC.). The group is split into three areas: scientific, policy and business, and networking and exploring future interdisciplinary research subjects. It is composed of academatic groups, industry representatives, research institutes and specialist associations inclusive of Arctic operations. There is a serious discussion on the need for a new icebreaking research vessel to support Arctic science. The ice-breaking potential of the aron to crack 1 m thick ice at 3 knots an hour is at a temperature of minus 35 degree. However, a research vessel that can withstand temperatures of minus 45 degrees and break 2 m-thick ice at 3 knots per hour is in demand for reliable research into unexplored frozen ocean and extended research. The government is currently looking at the viability of the proposal for the enormous spending.

A glance at the diagram 3 provided reveal that there has been a reasonable decline for the last five decades between 1980 and 2019. The Arctic ice melting will provide new growth opportunities, but it also poses serious challenges to Arctic residents ' livelihoods and their biodiversity. The shrinking sea ice provides new business opportunities in the Arctic in fields such as Northern Sea Ways asset creation and sales. The increase in human activity, though, can also impact the marine ecosystem, a fragile part of the world, and endanger inhabitants ' livelihoods, including the Artic indigenous peoples.

Diagram 3: The Arctic Ice is melting

5. 
   Advantages and disadvantages of the Korea Arctic policy in the future
   

On the one hand, this project would boost Arctic states’ economy, including South Korea’s. Korea pays close attention to the Arctic Routes, as using the Arctic Routes will minimize the gap between Asia and Europe, decrease distribution costs, and access the transportation and logistics industry closely linked to the Arctic region's assets. For the first time, a test run was undertaken with a ship designed by Korea to exploit economic opportunities, and a Korean domestic distribution company sailed along the transport path linking the Arctic Ocean road and Russia's inland waterway. In fact, Korea is proposing providing incentives for shippers and consignors transporting goods across the Arctic Ocean, and preparing personnel to manage the road of the polar region.

Korea is establishing joint projects on the basis of a MOU for geological exploration, cooperation with Greenland, and a MOU for mineral resource cooperation and development. Korea signed a treaty for the North Pacific Fisheries Commission for co-operation of marine assets and negotiated a step-by-step Korean integration into the Arctic Ocean fisheries organisation. Furthermore, Korea is making efforts to develop shipbuilding and safety technologies for vessels traveling across the Arctic region and to develop offshore plant technologies in the Arctic area for deep-sea mining.

According to the Figure 1 below, After the record low ice extent of 2012, traffic along the Northern Sea Route peeked in 2013. NSR transits have since declined considerably, possibly because of lower fuel prices that make traditional shipping routes less risky and more profitable. The fall is potentially also caused by U.S. sanctions against Russia. Northwest Transits with receding summer ice extent rose from 5 in 2005 to 16 in 2016. Traveling along the NWP is primarily carried out in smaller vessels capable of navigating in the shallow waters and narrow passages. Yet gradually, the voyage has been rendered through bigger ice-capable passenger ships.