The sea level near Jeju Island has risen at a pace faster than the global average, data showed on Thursday.

The Korea Hydrographic and Oceanographic Administration said the mean sea level surrounding the southern resort island has gone up by 5.97 millimeters on average per year, far higher than the world average of 1.8 millimeters.

The agency began to collect the sea level data involving the island in 1978.

The broader sea level for South Korea increased by 2.48 millimeters per year, also higher than the world average.

The agency said the bigger change is due to the change in temperature, which affected the routes and shapes of sea currents circling around the island.

High sea levels are expected to bring in ecological and environmental transformations such as flash floods and shifting of wetlands. The state-run institute said it will designate Jeju Island and its surrounding region as a special monitoring zone to conduct tighter observations and detailed research and in the long term.

By Yang Sung-jin (insight@heraldcorp.com)