About ICMPE-11 & YES-2026
Introduction
Joint Conference: ICMPE-11 & the 10th Yellow Sea–East China Sea–South China Sea Ecosystem Symposium (YES-2026)
Jeju Island, Republic of Korea | 2026
The International Conference on Marine Pollution and Ecotoxicology (ICMPE) and the Yellow Sea–East China Sea–South China Sea Ecosystem Symposium (YES) have each become trusted international forums for advancing marine environmental science—through complementary strengths in pollution and ecotoxicology, ecosystem health, and regional cooperation. In 2026, these two conference series will convene together on Jeju Island, Republic of Korea, creating a broader and more integrated platform for scientific exchange and collaboration.
ICMPE, established in 1995, has a long-standing tradition of bringing together researchers and practitioners to share advances in marine pollution, ecotoxicology, ecological risk assessment, and environmental management. Most recently, ICMPE-10 was successfully held in January 2024 at the City University of Hong Kong, reaffirming the community’s strong engagement and the continued scientific relevance of the ICMPE series.
In parallel, YES was founded to promote sustained academic collaboration around the interconnected seas of the Yellow Sea, East China Sea, and South China Sea. By 2026, YES reaches a major milestone—its 10th edition—reflecting a decade of interdisciplinary dialogue on the environmental health and ecological security of East Asian coastal and shelf seas. The symposium has continually provided a venue for assessing ecosystem status, identifying emerging risks, and strengthening cooperative research—particularly among scientists and institutions across East Asia.
Holding ICMPE-11 and the 10th YES-2026 as a joint conference is both timely and strategic. Rapid coastal development, dense populations, industrialization, and expanding chemical use have increased the complexity of marine environmental pressures, including emerging pollutants and multiple interacting stressors that threaten ecosystem integrity and human well-being. Effective responses increasingly require cross-disciplinary science, cross-regional coordination, and action-oriented solutions that connect mechanisms of toxicity with ecosystem-level outcomes.
Against this backdrop, the joint conference aims to:
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Create a high-level, interdisciplinary platform that bridges marine pollution and ecotoxicology with ecosystem science, conservation, and sustainability pathways
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Advance shared understanding of regional and global marine environmental challenges, with particular attention to the East Asian seas and their connectivity
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Promote science-based strategies for ecological risk assessment, biodiversity conservation, pollution prevention and control, and sustainable coastal and ocean governance
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Strengthen collaboration among academia, research institutes, government, and relevant stakeholders, encouraging practical and implementable outcomes
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Support graduate students and early-career scientists through presentation opportunities, mentoring, and international networking
Hosted in the unique natural and cultural setting of Jeju Island, this joint meeting will offer a stimulating environment for rigorous scientific discussion and meaningful community building—strengthening long-standing partnerships while opening new avenues for collaboration across the ICMPE and YES networks.
We warmly welcome participants from around the world and look forward to an impactful gathering in Jeju in 2026.
With very best wishes,
Prof. Jong Seong Khim & Prof. Kenneth Mei Yee Leung
Chair, ICMPE-11 & YES-2026 Joint Conference
Scientific Themes
The Conference will primarily focus on the following key areas:
Theme 1. Environmental Chemistry & Pollutant Fate
Legacy pollutants (organics, metals, biocides)
Contaminants of emerging concern (e.g., PFAS, flame retardants, EDCs, PPCPs, engineered nanomaterials)
Plastics and particulate pollution: macro-/micro-/nano-plastics (sources, characterization, fate)
Source-to-sea transport, biogeochemical cycling, modeling
Advanced analytical methods and monitoring tools (field/lab)
Theme 2. Environmental Toxicology & Ecological Risk
Advanced ecotoxicology (molecular toxicology, omics, AOPs)
Ecotoxicity and ecological risk of emerging contaminants and plastics
Chemical mixtures and multiple stressors (combined effects; thermal/salinity/acidification, etc.)
Harmful algal bloom (HAB) toxins and biological effects
Risk assessment frameworks and effect-based methods
Theme 3. Environmental Ecology & Ecosystem Health
Coastal eutrophication, hypoxia, HAB dynamics and ecosystem impacts
Biodiversity conservation and ecosystem functioning/services
Food-web impacts, community shifts, invasive species and biological interactions
Ecosystem responses to climate change (warming, acidification, sea-level rise)
Regional seas assessment: status, trends, and emerging challenges
Theme 4. Environmental Sustainability, Solutions & Governance
Innovative monitoring, early warning, and pollution control technologies
Mitigation/remediation and nature-based solutions; ecosystem restoration
Integrated environmental assessment and management; water/sediment quality criteria
Seafood safety, sustainable mariculture/aquaculture, coastal management
Ocean carbon neutrality, blue economy pathways, and sustainability transitions
UN Decade-related actions, environmental education, and citizen science
Organizing Committee
Chairmen
Prof. Jong Seong Khim
Seoul National University
Prof. Kenneth Mei Yee Leung
City University of Hong kong
Vice Chairmen
Prof. Bong-Oh Kwon
Kunsan National University
Prof. Tieyu Wang
Shantou University
Members (Last Name listed in alphabetical order)
Prof. Kyungsik Choi
Seoul National University
Prof. Jinhyung Chon
Korea University
Prof. Ho Kyung Ha
Inha University
Prof. Seongjing Hong
Chungnam National University
Prof. Jongseong Ryu
Seokyeong University
Conference Secretary
Prof. Taewoo Kim
Seoul National University