Pukyong National University on Tuesday awarded an honorary doctorate to Kiribati President Anote Tong in recognition of his contributions to maritime affairs and nature conservation.

Tong, who is currently serving his third term in office, received an honorary doctorate of engineering at a ceremony held on campus grounds in Busan on Tuesday.

Officials said that Tong has been active in promoting maritime affairs between Korea and the small Pacific island of Kiribati, and has also been a strong supporter of combating climate change. 

In recent years, Tong worked to publicize problems faced by small islands in the Pacific, such as flooding caused by rising sea levels due to global warming. He also played a big role in helping the neighboring Phoenix Islands become a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site in 2010, according to officials familiar with the matter.

In addition to his conservation efforts, Tong helped revitalize Kiribati’s fishing industry through effective use of his country’s exclusive economic zone, and by sending outstanding professionals to be trained at the Korea Ocean Research and Development Institute, or KORDI.

Tong is also credited with assisting in the growth of Korea’s tuna industry. In the 1990s, he helped Korean fishing companies expand access to the tuna-rich fishing grounds in the western Pacific.

Meanwhile, as a small island nation located in the western Pacific, Kiribati first forged diplomatic ties with Korea in 1980. The two countries have collaborated on several projects since then in fishing and other related fields.

By Renee Park  (renee@heraldcorp.com)