• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.335-352
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• 2021

Trace elements in the ocean have been known as essential micronutrients for the primary production of phytoplankton and the growth of marine organisms. The GEOTRACES program beginning in the mid-2000 provided a new understanding of the distribution, origin and behavior of trace elements in the ocean, together with the establishment of both clean seawater sampling and trace element analysis techniques. The Indian Ocean, one of the major oceans, is relatively the least explored area, despite playing an important role in global climate variability. Although trace element observations have recently been conducted in the Indian Ocean by Japanese-and Indian scientists, relatively not much study has been done compared to the Atlantic, Pacific and Polar Regions. Recently, together with the launch of R/V Isabu, a 5,000-ton grade large- and comprehensive research vessel, the observations of trace elements has been conducted in the Indian Ocean for the first time in Korea since 2018. In this paper, we introduce the key results of currently conducted GEOTRACES expedition in the Indian Ocean to present future trace element research directions in the Indian Ocean, and also reviewed the preliminary results in the Indian Ocean studies from Korea. In the 2020s, new Indian Ocean GEOTRACES projects are planned around European countries, and it is time for Korea to prepare for the next phase of the trace element study in the Indian Ocean in line with these international trends.