The 357-sheet map charts Korea’s rocks, strata, faults and folds at 1:50,000 scale
More than a century after geologists began traversing Korea’s mountains, riverbanks and coastlines, the country has completed a 357-sheet map charting the rocks, faults and strata beneath its surface.
The Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources announced the completion of the 1:50,000 national geological map Thursday at an international academic forum titled “The New Role and Future Vision of National Geological Surveys” at its headquarters in Daejeon.
The map consists of 357 individual sheets covering South Korea. It records standardized geological information on rock types and age, the distribution and chronological relationships of strata, and geological structures such as faults and folds.
A geological map reveals how land has formed over time, earning it the description “the history book of the Earth.”
Geologists compiled the data by walking through mountains, fields, riverbanks and coastlines to observe rocks, strata and geological structures. They also collected samples for laboratory analysis of mineral composition, microstructure and geochemical characteristics.
Each map sheet brings together and interprets those findings, including analyses to determine the absolute age of rocks.
Korea’s modern national geological survey began in 1918 with the establishment of a geological survey office.
The first 1:50,000 geological map was published in 1924. The Taebaeksan district geological map followed in 1962, and surveys subsequently expanded across the country.
Geologists at universities and research institutions continued conducting field surveys and detailed analyses nationwide, while updating existing geological information as survey technologies advanced.
KIGAM said the map’s completion would mark the starting point for efforts to digitize and enhance the country’s geological data.
“We will combine geological data with artificial intelligence and digital twin technology to create new value that supports national resource security and public safety,” KIGAM President Kwon Yi-kyun said.
shwang9@heraldcorp.com
