(Busan=Yonhap News) Reporter Cho Jeong-ho = On the 5th, Pusan National University announced that it has been finally selected as the operating organization for the 'Overseas Excellent Scientists Recruitment Program (Brain Pool)' led by the Ministry of Science and ICT and the National Research Foundation. Professor Kim Seon-tae from the Department of Plant Life Sciences, who is the project leader, will lead a research team that will receive a total of 2.1 billion won over three years from this year until 2027 to establish a global research and education hub for sustainable rice production in the era of climate change. This research project aims to invite overseas scholars from institutions such as Nanjing Agricultural University and Shanghai Jiao Tong University in China to conduct joint research for sustainable rice production in response to climate change. The research team identifies the global food crisis due to population growth and climate change, instability in the international grain market, and the vulnerability of Korea's food security as key issues. Based on an international cooperation network, the team aims to attract excellent scientists and grow into a global hub for rice research. The research team believes that developing rice varieties that are resistant to complex stresses such as drought, salt damage, and pests and diseases is urgent. They will conduct joint research in the fields of rice molecular immunity, rice reproduction, and rice breeding. Through this project, Pusan National University expects to establish an international joint research system that covers the entire cycle of rice research, from molecular immunity to breeding, to secure sustainable rice production technology in the era of climate change and to contribute to strengthening domestic food security.