In December 2021, the A.V. Zhirmunsky National Scientific Center of Marine Biology, Far Eastern Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences (the NSCMB FEB RAS), represented by its Acting Director, RAS Corresponding Member Dr. Inessa V. Dyuizen and the National Marine Biodiversity Institute of Korea (MABIK), represented by Dr. Wan-Hyun Choi, President of the MABIK, renewed their cooperation under the existing Memorandum of Understanding. Formal collaboration between the organizations began in 2016-2017, when the decision was made to document the relationship and create a joint Laboratory, called “the Marine Joint Laboratory of Biodiversity” (MJLB). As part of the work of the joint Russian-Korean Marine Biodiversity Laboratory, the first field work was carried out on the coast of the Peter the Great Bay on June 23-30, 2019.

With the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and its limitations, the two parties managed to identify promising areas of cooperation for 2022 in an online format and negotiate on an agreement under the existing Memorandum of Understanding which involves sharing experiences in developing best practices, organizing joint scientific events, conferences, colloquiums, symposiums, joint projects and research. So, the next MJLB committee scientific meeting will take place in the near future on the Zoom platform.