Developing KSORC as a focal site for long term study in one of the most important strategy for the Center. To understand the process of tropicasl ecosystem anf provide essential scientific knowledge anf baseline data needed to undrstand local and regional effects of climate change, continuous monitoring and process studies of tropical ecosystems as well as biodiversity surveys and coral monitoring have been persued stragically since center estabishment, albeit with slow beginning. Such monitoring and process studies will eventually help to better underatand the changes observed not only observed and experienced in the Pacific region as well as in Korean waters.