An Analysis of Geological Research Activities in North Korea

북한의 지질학 연구활동 분석

Among the science and engineering fields in North Korean Academy of Sciences, geology occupies about 10 percent of the total number of departments. An analysis of major geologic research fields in North Korea, based on the number of authors of 2000-200l publications in a representative journal "Geology and Geography", shows the proportions as follows: mineralogy and petrology (31.0%), stratigraphy and paleontology (12.3%), economic geology and geochemistry (11.6%), geophysics and structural geology (14.2%), and applied geology (31.0%). This proportion is similar to that in South Korea in 1960s and shows that geologic research activity in North Korea is concentrated for the purpose of mineral resources exploration. The academic collaboration between South and North Korea in near future should include the researches on the reconstruction of geologic history in Korean peninsula and Northeast Asia and the environmental restoration from mining-related environmental pollution in North Korea. For active academic interchange between South and North Korea, efforts to overcome the academic gap are requisite. Frequent joint symposia, interchange programme of post-doctoral fellows, and cooperative researches on specific topics are recommended for this effort.