On 4-6 April 2017, JINR representatives held a number of meetings in three universities of the Republic of Korea with the aim of informing Korean colleagues about the major JINR projects, enhancement of cooperation with Korean scientists and attraction of Korean students into scientific and educational programmes of the Institute.

The JINR delegation included Director of the JINR University Centre S.Z. Pakuliak, Head of the JINR International Cooperation Department D.V. Kamanin, Head of the Department of Condensed Matter Physics of the Frank Laboratory of Neutron Physics A.V. Belushkin and member of the JINR Programme Advisory Committee for Condensed Matter Physics, representative of the Academy of Sciences of Mongolia academician Deleg Sangaa.

At the Seoul National University the delegation was welcomed by Director of the NUTRECK Center Professor Il Soon Hwang. Guests were shown a model of a nuclear reactor with lead-bismuth coolant and were acquainted with the directions of scientific research of the centre. During the discussion, interest was shown in participation of Korean colleagues in JINR activities on transmutation of minor actinides and environmental research.

The tightest working programme was prepared in the Incheon National University (INU), where the delegation was warmly welcomed by President of the University, Professor Dong-Sung Cho and Dean of the Office of International Affairs Professor Jill Leslie Tao. During the meeting, the parties noted mutual interest in educational issues, using of the JINR research infrastructure and development of international cooperation.

The guests from JINR were also received by Dean of the College of Natural Sciences of INU Professor Won Choi and Director of the Department of Physics Professor Joonhee Kang. The meeting with professors of the Department of Physics showed a wide range of possibilities for cooperation with FLNR, BLTP and FLNP. A separate meeting was held with leaders of the Office of International Affairs; a large number of common contacts in the JINR Member States was noted. In conclusion, Professor JunHo Kim gave the guests a tour to a nanotechnology research laboratory.

In the Sogang University the Dubna guests were friendly welcomed by Vice-President of the Korean Physical Society, Professor Bum-Hoon Lee who is familiar with the JINR activities. A detailed discussion on possibilities of cooperation with JINR was held in the office of Dean of the School of Natural Sciences Young Soo Kung. The meeting was attended by Professor Myung-Hwa Jung, who leads the group of quantum materials. It was agreed she will visit JINR to set up experiments on magnetic phase transitions in materials under high pressures at the IBR-2 reactor.

All meetings were held in constructive and friendly atmosphere. Dubna and Korean scientists agreed to establish working contacts on a wide range of issues and, in particular, in the fields of application of neutron analytical methods and nanotechnology. One of the results also was that the Korean colleagues confirmed their interest in participation in the organization of the conference «Modern trends in natural sciences and advanced education technologies» which will be held in 2018 in Ulaanbaatar.