The United Kingdom Infrared Telescope (UKIRT)

Over its 30-year lifetime, UKIRT has been the world's leading telescope devoted exclusively to observations in the infrared. Its outstanding success over this period is attributable to a number of factors, foremost among which are the size (3.6m) and high quality of the mirror, the excellent site at the summit of Mauna Kea, and the deployment of unique, world-beating instrumentation. In recent years, as the UK has re-directed its investment in astronomical facilities towards ESO, UKIRT has focussed on wide-field imaging in the near infrared, and we are currently conducting a definitive programme known as the UKIRT Infrared Deep Sky Survey (UKIDSS). In this presentation I will describe UKIRT's current capabilities, its evolving operation, opportunities for Korean participation, and possibilities for its future development.