Prof. Kug received the 2015 APEC Science Prize for Innovation, Research and Education (ASPIRE), the first Korean to receive the prize. This year's theme was 'Disaster Risk Reduction: Understanding the Role of Climate Change and Variability', and he was recognized for his research on El Niño and on the relationship between phytoplankton and Arctic warming. The award ceremony was held in Manila, the Philippines, and the prize is USD 25,000.

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