Abstract

The objective of this study was to ascertain the multidisciplinary nature of classification system research in Korea and the current status of knowledge exchange between disciplines. A bibliometric analysis was performed on 1,187 classification system-related papers published since 2001 and their 25,078 cited references retrieved from the KCI database. The measurement of the characteristics of classification system research in each discipline was undertaken using six indicators, including research volume, research-topic embeddedness, domain-knowledge utilization, citation diversity, local network centrality, and global network centrality. The findings reveal a predominance of research publications in library and information science (LIS) and architectural engineering, which have firmly established classification systems as a pivotal research area. Inter-field citation-network analysis confirmed that LIS knowledge is widely referenced by diverse disciplines, thereby fulfilling a meta-knowledge function within classification systems research. By methodically analysing the status quo of Korean classification system studies and empirically demonstrating LIS’s interdisciplinary contribution, this study offers critical insights for future research and policy development.