The new supercomputer comes with an impressive computational performance of 50 petaflops, which means it can perform ten quadrillion mathematical operations per second, according to the KMA. (Image: KMA)
SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Korea Bizwire) — The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) has announced plans to integrate a 60-billion-won supercomputer into its operations by 2020.
The new supercomputer comes with an impressive computational performance of 50 petaflops, which means it can perform ten quadrillion mathematical operations per second, according to the KMA.
The supercomputer unit 4 currently deployed at the KMA has a computational performance of 6.2 petaflops, meaning that the new supercomputer will be eight times as fast.
“We are hoping to introduce a new supercomputer by 2020,” said Kim Tae-hee, who heads the supercomputer center at the KMA.
“The unit 5 supercomputer will make it to the world’s top 10 in terms of performance,” Kim added.
Previously, the KMA spent 56.9 billion to introduce a brand new supercomputer back in November 2014 as part of a 120 billion won project to improve the accuracy of numerical weather predictions.
The KMA issues weather predictions based on the analysis of numerical figures generated from supercomputers after collecting weather observation data.
However, the association faced criticism over the inaccuracy of numerical weather predictions when the atmospheric pressure hits 500 hectopascals, as the margin of error was found to have risen from 7.2 meters in 2012 to 7.3 meters in 2016 during the inspection by the Board of Audit and Inspection (BAI).
“Though we can’t pinpoint how much the accuracy of weather predictions will improve, the use of a new supercomputer could certainly improve the resolution of data, which will have a positive impact on weather reports,” said Kim.
The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) has announced plans to integrate a 60-billion-won supercomputer into its operations by 2020. (Image: Yonhap)
Last year, the KMA found itself in hot water after sending a warning for a 6.5 magnitude earthquake in Hoengseong in Gangwon Province, when the actual magnitude turned out to be 6.7, as a result of an employee’s mistake.
According to a report by the BAI last August, the KMA had predicted rain 5,193 times and was only right 3,228 times, resulting in a 62 percent hit rate between 2012 and 2016.
Ashley Song (ashley@koreabizwire.com)
