On November 28, UNIST and Pukyong National University (PNU) have expanded their research partnership with a new agreement enabling shared access to research facilities and equipment. The agreement was signed during a joint technical exchange focused on AI applications in the marine and fisheries sector. This partnership also moves forward their ongoing efforts to establish the 'Marine & Fisheries AI Convergence Research Center,' a collaborative initiative under development since August 2025.
During the exchange, researchers from both institutions reviewed ongoing projects, discussed priority areas for joint development, and explored opportunities for deeper integration of data, technology, and expertise. Presentations highlighted key fields-including Arctic maritime strategy, marine carbon-neutral technologies, and smart fisheries systems-reflecting the growing need for advanced AI solutions across emerging ocean industries.
UNIST faculty offered perspectives on strategic technologies for the maritime sector. Professor Chang-Hun Lee (School of Business Administration) outlined port strategies in preparation for future Arctic Sea Route access, while Professor Hankwon Lim (Graduate School of Carbon Neutrality) presented pathways for industrial carbon reduction. From PNU, Professors Seong-Hoon Kim and Eun-Joon Chun proposed new research directions that link marine logistics with SMR and materials-processing technologies.
As part of the collaboration, the two institutions signed an agreement to mutually open their research facilities, experimental equipment, and training spaces under the same conditions. The arrangement will provide UNIST researchers access to PNU's maritime and training infrastructure, while PNU researchers will gain use of UNIST's advanced analytical and testing platforms-significantly expanding research capacity and efficiency for both sides.
Building on this agreement, UNIST and PNU plan to broaden cooperation across key strategic fields, including ocean environmental monitoring, marine robotics, resource exploration, and hydrogen and carbon-neutral technologies. Joint initiatives will also extend to policy research, such as maritime industry finance and technology strategies for Arctic route development, helping strengthen the broader marine research ecosystem across the southeastern region.
UNIST President Chong Rae Park emphasized the significance of the partnership, noting, "This collaboration marks an important step in expanding UNIST's research network across the marine and AI landscape. By connecting our capabilities with a broader ocean science ecosystem, we aim to scale this partnership from the southeastern region of Korea to global marine and fisheries research."
PNU President Sang-Hoon Bae added, "By combining the strengths of both institutions, we expect to accelerate innovation in the marine industry and deliver meaningful solutions to emerging challenges."
