[Manbo Jeongdam] Yoo Hee-dong, Director of Korea Meteorological Administration, "Facing Difficult-to-Predict Climate... Must Strengthen Forecasting Capabilities"

Development of AI-Integrated Precipitation Forecasting Model Underway
Improving Forecast Accuracy Expected with Quantum Computers
Customized Weather Service Platform Also Being Developed

"On days with good weather, I walk in Boramae Park while looking at Gwanaksan Mountain, where the Korea Meteorological Administration radar base is located."

On the afternoon of the 19th, when the spring atmosphere was in full bloom, Boramae Park in Dongjak-gu, Seoul. Yoo Hee-dong, the Administrator of the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA), said this while walking alongside citizens enjoying a stroll. Dressed in a striped shirt and tie, he carried his suit jacket over his left arm and continued with a brisk pace.

The KMA Seoul office is just about 100 meters in a straight line from Boramae Park, a popular walking spot in southwestern Seoul. It is an ideal space for walking exercise. As the head of the KMA, who must remain alert 24 hours a day, Yoo has little leisure time in his life, which is divided by the minute. Occasionally, after having lunch with KMA staff, he soothes his longing by crossing Boramae Park on his way back.

Manbo Jeongdam - Yoo Hee-dong, the head of the Korea Meteorological Administration, is walking in Boramae Park, Dongjak-gu. Photo by Jo Yong-jun jun21@

Administrator Yoo has been interested in health management since childhood. He has tried almost every kind of food said to be good for the body. Yoo has his own health secret: bowing. Performing 108 bows properly is not easy, but he manages it comfortably as a hobby. Bowing also helps relieve mental tension.

The reason he takes care of his health by walking in Boramae Park and bowing whenever he has the chance is closely linked to the purpose of the KMA. The KMA is one of the government agencies most closely connected to the lives of the people. Most citizens pay attention to the KMA’s judgments daily and make life choices accordingly. The KMA’s assessments also serve as key variables in decisions made by government agencies and companies.

As the importance of the information contained in the KMA’s judgments grows, the burden on its head inevitably becomes heavier. In that sense, the KMA is a lonely organization. When forecasts succeed under various adverse conditions, it is taken for granted, but when forecasts are occasionally wrong, criticism pours down.

Manbo Jeongdam - Yoo Hee-dong, Director of the Korea Meteorological Administration, is walking in Boramae Park, Dongjak-gu. Photo by Jo Yong-jun jun21@

There was an occasion when a civil servant who played a key role at the KMA came to Administrator Yoo with a resignation letter. He intended to leave the workplace he loved to take responsibility for weather conditions. Yoo, who has worked at the KMA for over 30 years, understood his psychological burden. Yoo held his junior’s hand with the intention of walking together again and changed his mind.

Weather is not something humans can control. The protagonist of the Japanese animation "Weathering with You" directed by Makoto Shinkai stopped the rain with a prayer saying, "The sky will clear up from now on." This is a scene that cannot happen in reality. Sometimes, the KMA is asked to produce scenes more cinematic than movies and more dramatic than dramas.

As weather becomes more deeply intertwined with our lives, the weight of the burden the KMA must bear also grows. Administrator Yoo leads the organization with empathetic leadership and strives to deliver the desired outcomes like the protagonist of "Weathering with You."

Below is a Q&A with Administrator Yoo.

Manbo Jeongdam - Yoo Hee-dong, Director of the Korea Meteorological Administration, is being interviewed by Asia Economy. Photo by Jo Yong-jun jun21@

- You are approaching two years in office. I remember your inaugural speech about securing world-leading technology.

▲ Time has passed so quickly that I hardly noticed. On August 8, 2022, a family of three tragically died due to flooding in a semi-basement in Sillim-dong, and the same year, many deaths occurred due to apartment flooding in Pohang, Gyeongbuk, caused by Typhoon Hinnamnor.

As part of efforts to prevent such tragedies from happening again, we started a pilot service where the KMA directly sends ‘heavy rain emergency disaster messages’ to residents in affected areas during heavy rain to quickly inform them of danger. This was first implemented in the Seoul metropolitan area last summer and is planned to expand to Gwangju-Jeonnam and Daegu-Gyeongbuk this year, with gradual nationwide expansion planned.

- The expansion of emergency disaster messages has secured about a 20-minute golden time during heavy rain.

▲ Emergency disaster messages are one of the most powerful means to protect the lives and safety of the people, so we are working to expand them nationwide as soon as possible. They are sent to eup, myeon, and dong areas where the risk of facility or human damage is high due to very heavy rain in a short time, accompanied by a loud warning sound of over 40dB to induce immediate safety measures.

Both local and central forecast officers must thoroughly review and confirm before sending, with a cross-check function in place, and the system is designed to send messages accurately only to high-risk areas.

- I understand that earthquake disaster messages will also be subdivided by city, county, and district. How do you expect this to affect public safety and response effectiveness?

▲ In the case of unpredictable earthquakes, information about where and the magnitude of the earthquake is important for the public to respond quickly. Therefore, we are promoting sending disaster messages only to areas likely to suffer damage based on seismic intensity information when an earthquake occurs.

When earthquake information is subdivided by city, county, and district, it will enable customized earthquake disaster preparedness considering public safety and convenience, and is expected to support effective disaster response.

- Weather pattern prediction is difficult due to climate change.

▲ I firmly believe in being most faithful to the basics, always striving to expand and improve the quality of meteorological observation data, enhance numerical model performance, and strengthen forecasters’ capabilities, which are the three main elements of weather forecasting. Additionally, we are conducting the ‘North Pacific High-Pressure Intensive Observation International Project’ to analyze the pressure systems dominating East Asian summers and are working to secure original technology by integrating artificial intelligence (AI) technology into the forecasting system.

Manbojeongdam - Yoo Hee-dong, Director of the Korea Meteorological Administration, is being interviewed by Asia Economy. Photo by Jo Yong-jun jun21@

- Technologies related to weather forecasting such as AI and big data are also advancing.

▲ We possess long-term observational data and conceptual models that objectify forecasters’ decision-making processes over a long period. Based on observational data, we are developing precipitation prediction models using generative AI and transformer technology. Alongside this, we are dedicated to developing AI-based solutions for recognizing and judging hazardous weather and searching past similar cases to support decision-making for heavy rain conceptual models and regional precipitation types. The KMA also develops and operates the ‘Advanced Forecasting System’ used by forecasters to produce and communicate weather forecasts and warnings provided to the public.

- What advantages do you expect from the introduction of quantum computing in weather forecasting?

▲ Currently, numerical weather and climate prediction models are built on CPU systems, which require exponentially larger physical hardware and peripherals, limiting scalability. To solve these problems, we plan to pioneer the establishment of a quantum computing system. Preparing for the complementary use of supercomputers, quantum computers, and AI is expected to overcome the limitations of classical computing in the long term and significantly improve the KMA’s forecasting accuracy and emergency response capabilities.

- The importance of international cooperation among global meteorological organizations is increasing.

▲ Since 2007, South Korea has been an executive board member of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), actively participating in global meteorological and climate policy decisions such as establishing early warning systems for disaster weather, a core UN task in the climate crisis era, and global greenhouse gas monitoring. Through various programs such as operating the WMO Regional Training Center (RTC-Seoul), contributing to capacity development trust funds, and building next-generation information systems (WIS 2.0), we have contributed to member countries’ capacity development and the international community.

- What preparations are being made to provide customized weather services for users?

▲ We have developed platforms that allow users to select regions, times, and desired weather elements and receive information quickly. For example, in the transportation sector, since 2018 on the Yeongdong Expressway, we analyze CCTV footage to identify rain, snow, and fog phenomena and provide this information through our website. Due to social and environmental changes such as climate change adaptation and urban population concentration, more diverse and detailed weather information is demanded. Although there are challenges such as securing continuous budgets and expanding professional personnel, we will prepare without delay to help future generations.

Manbo Jeongdam - Yoo Hee-dong, Director of the Korea Meteorological Administration, is walking in Boramae Park, Dongjak-gu. Photo by Jo Yong-jun jun21@

* Administrator Yoo Hee-dong…

▲ Born in Seoul in 1963 ▲ Graduated from Yonsei University, Department of Astronomy and Meteorology ▲ Ph.D. in Meteorology from the University of Oklahoma, USA ▲ Head of Forecast Situation Division and Numerical Model Development Division at KMA Forecast Bureau ▲ Head of Forecast Policy Division at KMA Forecast Bureau ▲ Attended Global Leadership Program at the Korea National Diplomatic Academy ▲ Director of Climate Science Bureau at KMA ▲ Director of Meteorological Service Promotion Bureau at KMA ▲ Director of Observation Base Bureau at KMA ▲ Director of Forecast Bureau at KMA ▲ Director of Busan Regional Meteorological Administration at KMA ▲ Planning and Coordination Officer at KMA ▲ Deputy Administrator at KMA

Interview by Ryu Jeong-min, Head of Social Affairs Department

Compiled by Yoo Byung-don, Reporter