KCMGN
Establishment and Operation
Background and Purpose
Geographical names in the Republic of Korea fell under the jurisdiction of the Central Committee on Geographical Names, but with the launching of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF) in 1996, the necessity of establishing a committee on marine geographical names, that is one of IHO’s recommendations, was suggested. As a result, the Korea Committee on Marine Geographical Names (KCMGN) was established on July 1, 2002.
According to Article 91, Clause 1 and 6 of “Act on Land Survey, Waterway Survey and Cadastral Records” and Article 96 of the Enforcement Decree of the same act, the KCMGN was opened and has been operated jointly with the existing Central Committee on Geographical Names.
The KCMGN belongs to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries in order to establish and change geographical names and marine geographic names as well as review and resolve important matters about them. MOF’s KHOA continues to conduct research and studies on marine geographical names to standardize them in Korea. When KHOA reviews and resolves matters on marine geographical names, the Minister of Oceans and Fisheries makes an announcement to formalize the marine geographical names. Moreover, to facilitate international exchanges and cooperation, this administration is aggressively moving forward with external activities including registration with the gazetteer of IHO’s Sub-Committee on Undersea Feature Names (SCUFN).
Organization
- The Chairman can separate and operate the committee in order to establish geographical names and marine geographical names if necessary.
- Geographical name (under the National Geographic Information Institute)
- Vice Chairman : 1 person, Director General of the National Geographic Information Institute
- 9 members : Appointed pursuant to Article 87, Clause 3, No. 1 to 5 of the Enforcement Decree of “Act on Land Survey, Waterway Survey and Cadastral Records”
- Within 9 professional members : Appointed pursuant to Article 87, Clause 3, No. 6 of the Enforcement Decree of “Act on Land Survey, Waterway Survey and Cadastral Records”
- Marine geographical names (under KHOA)
- Vice Chairman: 1 person, Director General of KHOA)
- 9 members : Appointed pursuant to Article 87, Clause 3, No. 1 to 5 of the Enforcement Decree of “Act on Land Survey, Waterway Survey and Cadastral Records”
- Within 9 professional members : Appointed pursuant to Article 87, Clause 3, No. 6 of the Enforcement Decree of “Act on Land Survey, Waterway Survey and Cadastral Records”
KHOA Functions Relevant to Marine Geographical Names
- Establish and change marine geographical names.
- Research, study, overhaul marine geographical names and make plans for them.
- Perform international exchanges and cooperation on the research, studies and recognition of marine geographical names.
- Requirements needed to develop research and technology related to marine geographical names.
Flow Chart to Standardize Domestic Marine Geographical Names
- KCMGN reviews ‘marine geographical names’
- Field survey
- Minister of Oceans and Fisheries announces marine geographical names
- Standardize domestic marine geographical names
- Register marine geographical names in international organizations
Definition and Classification of Marine Geographical Names
Definition
Marine geographical names cover name of naturally formed oceans, straits, bays, creeks and watercourses, as well as of submarine topographical features such as a reef, a bank, a submarine canyon, a basin, a seamount, a seamount chain, an oceanic ridge, and a trench (under Article 2 of the Waterway Service Act.)
Classification
According to the Guideline for Standardization of Marine Geographical Names, marine geographical names are largely divided into sea surface and undersea features names.
- Sea surface names
The sea surface names are related to terrains on the sea level, such as oceans, straits, bays, creeks, and watercourses.
- Type and Classification
Korean | Chinese | English | Note |
---|---|---|---|
대양 | 大洋 | ocean | - |
바다 | 海 | sea | - |
해협 | 海峽 | strait | Include sound |
수도 | 水道 | channel | Include passage, canal, gut, narrow |
암 | 岩 | rock | 바위 |
암붕 | 岩棚 | ledge | - |
해만 | 海灣 | gulf | - |
만 | 灣 | bay | - |
개만 | 開灣 | bight | - |
포 | 浦 | creek | - |
- Undersea features names
The undersea features names are divided into 42 categories, including features such as reefs, banks, canyons, basins, and seamounts.
* The undersea features names written in the IHO/IOC Gazetteer are divided into 53 categories; that is to say that 11 names are irrelevant to our submarine geographical names.
Division | Korean | Chinese | English |
---|---|---|---|
1 | 기요 | - | guyot, tablemount |
1 | 단열대 | 斷裂帶 | fracture zone |
3 | 대륙 경계지 | 大陸境界地 | borderland |
4 | 대륙대 | 大陸帶 | continental rise |
5 | 대륙붕 | 大陸棚 | shelf, continental shelf |
6 | 대륙붕단 | 大陸棚斷 | shelf-edge, shelf break |
7 | 대륙 사면 | 大陸斜面 | slope, continental slope |
8 | 대륙 주변부 | 大陸周邊部 | continental margin |
9 | 모래톱 | - | shoal |
10 | 모우트 | - | moat |
11 | 실 | - | sill |
12 | 심해 구릉 | 深海丘陵 | abyssal hill(s) |
13 | 심해 평원 | 深海平原 | abyssal plain |
14 | 안부 | 鞍部; | saddle |
15 | 에이프런 | - | apron, archipelagic apron |
16 | 중앙 열곡 | 中央裂谷 | median valley |
17 | 초 | 礁 | reef |
18 | 칼데라 | - | caldera |
19 | 해각 | 海脚 | spur |
20 | 해곡 | 海谷 | trough, oceanic trough |
21 | 해구 | 海溝 | trench |
22 | 해령 | 海嶺 | oceanic ridge, oceanic rise |
23 | 해봉 | 海峰 | peak |
24 | 해저 간극 | 海底間隙 | passage, Gap |
25 | 해저 계곡 | 海底溪谷 | valley, submarine valley |
26 | 해저곶 | 海底串 | promontory |
27 | 해저 구릉 | 海底丘陵 | hill(s) |
28 | 해저 놀 | 海底 | knoll |
29 | 해저 단구 | 海底段丘 | submarine terrace |
30 | 해저 대지 | 海底臺地 | plateau |
31 | 해저 분지 | 海底盆地 | basin |
32 | 해저산/해산 | 海底山/海山 | seamount(s) |
33 | 해저 산맥 | 海底山脈 | seamount chain |
34 | 해저 선상지 | 海底扇狀地 | fan, cone |
35 | 해저 수로 | 海底水路 | seachannel |
36 | 해저 융기부 | 海底隆起部 | rise, ridge |
37 | 해저 절벽 | 海底絶壁 | escarpment, scarp |
38 | 해저 제방 | 海底堤防 | levee |
39 | 해저혈 | 海底穴 | hole |
40 | 해저 협곡 | 海底峽谷 | canyon, submarine canyon |
41 | 해첨 | 海尖 | pinnacle |
Future Plans
Domestic Standardization of Marine Geographical Names
The project for the standardization of marine geographical names continues to be performed pursuant to the “Guideline for the Standardization of Marine Geographical Names”.
- Establish new marine geographical names
Analyze and review relevant data on bottom topography (seamounts, basins, etc.), reefs, and rocks, among others without names and then establish new names. - Propel the data base of marine geographical names
Compile and systematically manage the database of marine geographical names through forging marine geographical name management systems, and then provide users with the data on the Internet. - Strengthen promotion
Aggressively enhance the promotion so that the entire people can use the standardized Korean marine geographical names.
International Standardization of Marine Geographical Names
- Corroborate data on marine geographical names for international standardization to organizations related to marine geographical names, such as the United Nations Conferences on the Standardization of Geographical Names (UNCSGN), the International Hydrographic Organization, the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, and so forth.
- Move forward with correcting errors in marking ocean features
Bolster international awareness about the wrong use of marine geographical names on maps and nautical charts published nowadays in some countries, and with respect to the different names in the same seas between neighboring countries, actively propel markings in accordance with the principle of the international standardization of marine geographical names.
Forward International Exchanges and Cooperation Regarding Marine Geographical Names
Understand international trends and aim at human interchange by steadily attending international conferences, such as UN and IHO/IOC led conventions, regarding marine geographical names.
Represent Korean stance along with PR activities for marine geographical names by presenting our opinions at every international conference and developing global collaboration.
Support Internal and External Research Regarding Marine Geographical Names
Support research activities with regard to marine geographical names, including holding academic meetings and seminars.
Attract international conferences related to marine geographical names and actively support related meetings.
Receive established and changed marine geographical names and collect data.
Some of marine geographical names currently used in Korea are not consistent, that is, they are named differently by different entities. This can give rise to problems with communication and interests between users. Thus, the standardization of marine geographical names is of great importance.
If you have found new information, or some marine geographical names used differently or left out from nautical charts and ocean passage pilots, please fill out an application form for review and submit it to the Korea Committee on Marine Geographical Names. Furthermore, if you provide bibliographies, including historical documents, nautical charts, and maps, related to marine geographical names, it will be very helpful in standardizing marine geographical names.
Korea Committee on Marine Geographical Names Contact Information
- Tel. 051-400-4341~43 / Fax. 051-400-4349
- e-mail : infokhoa@korea.kr
Documents related to the Korea Committee on Marine Geographical Names
(download the attachment)
- Contact
- International Cooperation Team
- Phone number
- +82-51-400-4341