S. Korea completes century-long national geological map

South Korea has completed its national basic geological map — a record of the Korean Peninsula's underground composition, formation and evolution — after a project spanning nearly 100 years.

The Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (KIGAM) announced it will hold the "National Basic Geological Map Completion International Symposium" on Sept. 9 at Hotel Intercity Daejeon to mark the completion of the 1:50,000-scale national basic geological map.

The national basic geological map is a standardized scientific record that systematically surveys and charts the rocks, strata and geological structures making up the country's land. It serves as foundational data for understanding how the Korean Peninsula formed and evolved, and functions as a core piece of national scientific infrastructure used in land management and conservation, mineral resource development, and geological hazard prevention.

The symposium will bring together about 100 domestic and international experts from industry, academia and research institutions, including representatives from the British Geological Survey (BGS), the Geological Survey of Japan (GSJ), the China Geological Survey (CGS), the Geological Survey of Mongolia (NGS) and the Coordinating Committee for Geoscience Programmes in East and Southeast Asia (CCOP).

The scope of geological information has been expanding in recent years amid the climate crisis, the reshuffling of global critical mineral supply chains, a rise in geological hazards and the ongoing energy transition. The accelerating pace of AI adoption and digital transformation has also elevated the importance of "geo-intelligence" — using vast datasets to address national challenges — beyond the traditional work of producing geological maps.

At the event, KIGAM Geological Survey Research Division Director Lee Seung-ryeol will present on the theme "Completion of the National Basic Geological Map of Korea: A Century of Achievement and the Road Ahead," outlining the results of 100 years of geological survey work and future strategies.

Karen Hanghøj, director of the British Geological Survey, will speak on "From Geological Mapping to Geo-Intelligence," laying out the future role of national geological survey agencies through the use of data and digital technology.

An international panel discussion will bring together representatives from KIGAM and geological survey agencies in the United Kingdom, Japan, China and Mongolia, as well as CCOP, to discuss responses to geological hazards, critical mineral and resource development, AI-based use of geological data, the energy transition and avenues for international cooperation.

Future energy technologies — including natural hydrogen and underground carbon dioxide (CO₂) storage — will also feature prominently on the agenda. Afternoon sessions will cover the latest research findings in natural hydrogen, groundwater and soil environments, geo-intelligence, CO₂ underground storage, subsurface space utilization, and paleoclimate and coastal environments. Next-generation geological survey strategies integrating AI and digital technology, including the construction of three-dimensional geological information systems, will also receive focused discussion.

KIGAM said it plans to use the event as an opportunity to expand data and research cooperation with major overseas geological survey agencies, and to actively apply the geological information accumulated over the past century to resource security, environmental and energy challenges, and disaster response.

"The completion of the national basic geological map is both a moment to reflect on a century of geological survey achievements and a starting point for reimagining the future role of national geological surveys," KIGAM President Kwon Yi-kyun said. "We will combine accumulated geological information with AI and digital technology to create new value for the nation and its people."

Meanwhile, a completion ceremony for the national basic geological map will be held Wednesday at KIGAM's main campus in Daejeon, with about 400 attendees expected, including government and National Assembly officials, heads of domestic and international geological survey agencies, and senior figures from the geology community.