From whalegenome

  Whale genome consortium(WGC) performs Minke Whale genome sequencing and bioinformatic analysis.This research is performed as part of the ‘Marine and Extreme Genome Research Center program’ supported by the Ministry of Land, Transport, and Maritime Affairs. This project will be led by Korea Ocean Research & Development Institute (KORDI)

  Minke is the most abundant whale species on Earth and they are common around Korean peninsula. The whale is the largest mammal in 4.6 billion years of Earth's history and is known to have walked on land around 60 million years ago and has evolved from the ancestor of the order Artiodactyla (even-toed) including cows, pigs, and hippos. When deciphered completely, Minke whale genome can contribute significantly to understand the evolution of sea faring mammals on Earth.