Suggested a new standard on geological properties of coalfield and exploration and development of energy resource by presenting a new strata classification of upper Paleozoic strata including coal measure
Jung Chang-hee
Honorary Professor, Seoul National University (1920~)
- Academic background
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1939 ~ 1941
Pyeongyang Daedong Technical College
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1942 ~ 1944
Bachelor of Science at Hokkaido Imperial University, Japan
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1968
Ph.D. at Hokkaido Imperial University, Japan
- Professional career
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1952.12 ~ 1986.02
Professor, Seoul National University
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1974.04 ~ 1976.04
Chairman, Geological Society of Korea
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1960.04 ~ 현재
Member, National Academy of Sciences
- Awards
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1978
National Academy of Sciences Awards (writing prize)
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1985.05
5·16 National Prize (Academy)
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2014.05
Order of Civil Merit, Rose of Sharon Medal
A geologist who contributed to securement of coal resource with the study on strata in the mining region
Professor Chang Hi Cheong is a geologist who contributed greatly to the securement of coal resources, one of the major energy resources that played a leading role in economic development after the government formation with a study on the earth strata in the mining area.
He performed the study on Pyeongan Supergroup, Late Paleozoic strata including coal resource intensively subject to representative mining regions such as Samcheok coalfield and Yeongwol coalfield in Gangwon-do and Danyang coalfield in Chungcheongbuk-do.
It is considered as his major work to classify and suggest the sequence of Pyeongan Supergroup distributed in the coalfield newly different from those having known since the Japanese colonial era. He made a great contribution to interpreting the geological history of the upper Paleozoic era in the Korean Peninsula by suggesting new sequence criteria for the Pyeongan Supergroup, Late Paleozoic strata including coal resources.
Founded stratigraphy to study spatio-temporal relation of strata and presented coal mining criteria
He classified the sequence of Pyeongan Supergroup as Supergroup comprising 3 groups (Tree Group, Cheoram Group, and Hwangji Group) and this newly established sequence classification contributed greatly to the interpretation of the geological history of the upper Paleozoic era in Korean Peninsula. This sequence classification is being used by following researchers extensively and the research results of new sequence classification suggested a new point of view for coal measure containing coal resource. The new criteria of strata sequence allowed a comprehensive stratigraphic correlation between coalfields subject to the strata sequence observed in each coalfield, which contributed greatly to the interpretation of the geological features of the Korean Peninsula coalfield.
He reported for the first time that in Jangseong group, the coal measure of Pyeongan Supergroup distributed in the Samcheok coalfield, development of coal measure had regular cyclothem sequence to suggest new exploration criteria to search a coal bed (resource) and made great academic contribution by reporting new genus of Fusulinid, the index fossil of Late Paleozoic era.
He obtained a research achievement to report the existence of nonconformity with no temporal geological record in Samcheok and Yeongwol coalfield through a biostratigraphical study of Fusulina fossil, the index fossil of Late Paleozoic era for the first time. From this study, he suggested a new genus of Fusulina, Xenostaffella in 1974 and listed a new subgenus, Hanostafella, suggesting a new evolutionary system of the Fusulina in 1979. This study result was upgraded to a new genus, with recognition of international academia in 1984. He suggested a new method to interpret stratigraphic sequence by discovering the existence of invisible para-conformity corresponding to 10 million years of geological time in Yeongwol coalfield. In addition to a detailed study on geological properties of Samcheok coalfield, he identified a stratigraphic arrangement that lower Paleozoic sequence trusted upper Paleozoic sequence, Pyeongan Supergroup, at a low angle. This study result contributed greatly to the study on the geological structure of Samcheok coalfield and the development history of geotectonic action later.
Contributed to the development of best energy resource necessary for economic development
Professor Chang Hi Cheong received the ‘Woonam Geological Award’, the most authoritative academic award with recognition of his excellent geological work in 1975.
Serving as a professor of Seoul National University, he produced a number of doctors and masters, who play the role of driving force in the development of Korean geology, working at teaching and research positions.
Other than his educational and research achievements, he participated in the ‘Korean Geological Society’, the most representative academic group of geology founded in 1947, as a founding member and then served as director and chairman to contribute to the advancement of academia. In 1979 ~ 1995, he contributed also to the preservation of natural cultural heritage, acting as a member of the Cultural Properties Committee under the Ministry of Culture.
Serving as the chairperson of IGCO Korean committee, UNESCO-IUGS, he made known the Korean geology internationally.