Incheon: South Korea will assume the role of chair for the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM) in 2027, hosting the event and spearheading discussions on research promotion and environmental protection in the South Pole, government officials announced.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the 49th ATCM is scheduled to take place in Incheon, just west of Seoul, in May next year. It will coincide with the 29th Committee for Environmental Protection. This marks the first occasion in 32 years that South Korea will host the ATCM.

Last month, during the 28th ATCM in Japan, South Korea engaged in discussions on various topics, including environmental protection in the Antarctic, climate change response, tourism and non-governmental activities, and scientific research cooperation. South Korea participated in these discussions as the vice chair.

South Korea became a part of the Antarctic Treaty in 1986 and gained consultative party status in 1989.