Sejong, February 13 - On February 2, the Ministry of Environment (ME, Minister Han Wha-jin) announced its annual work plans for nature conservation for 2023. 

Under the vision of 'A Healthy Natural Environment for the People,' this year's work plan has four main goals: △ Enhance climate resilience of our natural ecosystem, △ Co-exist in harmony with wildlife, △ Expand public services for people to experience the benefits of nature, and △ Scientize the management of the national environment.

The details are as follows.

① Active response to climate change and biodiversity loss by establishing national biodiversity strategies 

The Ministry of Environment plans to establish the 5th National Biodiversity Strategy (2024~2028) in accordance with the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) adopted at the UN Biodiversity Conference (CBD COP 15) held in Canada last December. The 5th National Biodiversity Strategy will include plans to expand 30% of the national territory to protected areas or nature reserves by 2030, restore 30% of the damaged ecosystem, and significantly reduce the inflow and settlement of invasive alien species. Starting with a meeting with experts on January 27, the Ministry will bring core strategies in the first half of 2023 after consulting with the concerned ministries and stakeholders. The 5th National Biodiversity Strategy, containing detailed directions, will be finalized by the end of 2023.

② Expand the total amount of outstanding natural resources by designating Palgongsan as a National Park

The Ministry of Environment will designate Palgongsan Provincial Park as the 23rd national park (the newly designated national park in seven years since Taebaeksan). The Ministry will also designate outstanding ecological areas, such as Gapcheon Wetland in Daejeon and Jinseom in Shinan-gun, as new nature reserves (at least 50) to expand the total amount of outstanding natural resources in Korea. The Ministry will prepare the ‘2030 Roadmap to Expand National Protected Areas' with the concerned ministries to systematically implement recommendations for designating protected areas by the international community (30% by 2030) and to protect natural ecosystems.

③ Enhance the health of our ecosystem by systematically restoring damaged land nationwide 

The Ministry of Environment plans to restore the site around the former Janghang Refinery (Seocheon-gun, Chungcheongnam-do) to showcase it as the best ecological restoration case to revive the local economy and contribute to carbon sequestration. The Ministry will conduct a preliminary feasibility study (scheduled from December 2022 to September 2023) and begin the design in 2024. It will also initiate a survey on the status of damaged land (20% of the national land each year) to establish directions for systematic restoration. The Ministry plans to expand projects to restore damaged ecosystems in urban areas (16 places in 2022 → 23 places in 2023) to increase the connectivity of urban ecosystems and create ecological spaces close to daily life.

① Safe management of bears by implementing plans to end bear breeding

The Ministry of Environment will enact the 'Special Act on the Prohibition of Bear Breeding and Protection of Bears' to ensure the implementation of the government's plans to end bear breeding (January 2022). The Ministry supports facility maintenance and feeding costs for participating farms to safely manage bears until bear farming becomes completely banned in Korea (scheduled for 2026). The Ministry will also build two sanctuaries to protect bears transferred from breeding farms. 

② Ensuring animal welfare by eliminating blind spots in protecting and managing wildlife 

As mandatory measures to prevent wild animals from colliding and falling due to artificial structures such as buildings, soundproof walls, and waterways managed by public institutions takes effect from June 11, the Ministry plans to survey the status of artificial structures to prepare plans to supplement eco-friendly facilities. Zoos will be operated under a permit system instead of the previous registration system. As such, the Ministry will prepare sub-statutes and detailed guidelines and help stakeholders understand and prepare for the change.

③ Reinforcing the safety net of our native ecosystem by restoring endangered species and managing the inflow of invasive alien species

Due to the expansion of the list of endangered wildlife (267 species → 282 species, December 2022), the Ministry plans to supplement the 'mid-to-long-term conservation plan for endangered wildlife' and conduct detailed investigations on species to be observed (56 species) and those cleared from endangered wildlife status (13 species). The Ministry will designate more foreign species that may harm our local ecosystem (about 150) and enhance customs clearance inspections with the Korea Customs Service to prevent illegal imports and distribution (collaborative inspection center: one → two locations).

④ Protecting national health by strengthening the response to wildlife diseases

The Ministry of Environment plans to start constructing a quarantine facility in Yeongjong-do, Incheon, in the second half of 2023 to implement the wildlife disease quarantine scheme (May 2024). To prepare for implementing a permit system (December 2025) for managing businesses related to wild animals (sales, production, imports, etc.) that were in blind spots, the Ministry will analyze the business and prepare detailed implementation plans (permit standards, etc.). The Ministry will also enhance its capacity to respond to wildlife diseases such as Avian Influenza (AI) and African Swine Fever (ASF). As for AI, the Ministry will upgrade its surveillance system by expanding early monitoring networks overseas (one in Mongolia → two or more countries), and establishing a highly pathogenic genome database. In the case of ASF, the Ministry will focus on preventing the spread with scientific responses such as drones and search dogs.

① Improving public convenience by creating safe and comfortable national parks

The Ministry of Environment plans to modernize old facilities, such as campsites, restrooms, and parking lots in national parks (72 locations), to resolve the inconvenience of about 40 million people visiting national parks every year. The Ministry will expand barrier-free visiting facilities and experience programs for the vulnerable and underprivileged so that every citizen can fully enjoy nature. The Ministry will also conduct a pilot project so people can visit some areas in national parks near the city with their companion animals in response to the growing culture of companion animals.

② Expand ecotourism and promote the ecological value of natural parks

The Ministry of Environment will designate three more areas for ecotourism (29 → 32) to conserve outstanding ecological resources and promote regional development. By doing so, the Ministry will build more infrastructure and contribute to a nature-friendly visit. The Ministry plans to extend the limitation of visitors' access due to the ecology restoration currently implemented in the Seodo area of Geomundo (from September 2021) to all areas of the island. The Ministry will purchase more private land in national parks to preserve national parks with the local community.

③ Support bioindustries based on biomaterials 

The Ministry of Environment plans to secure consumer-oriented biomaterials to boost the bioindustry using native species in Korea and strengthen cooperation between the government and companies for analysis and joint research of biomaterial efficacy and effects. The Ministry will also launch the 'Project to Establish a National Data Bank of Genetic Resources and Strengthen Capacities to Conserve and Sustain Biodiversity in Ecuador (2023-2028, 3.4 billion won)' to secure a bridgehead for securing overseas biological resources and creating a cooperative cluster to invigorate bioindustries in Korea.

① Introducing a customized evaluation system for development projects 

The Ministry of Environment will pursue institutional improvement to implement the deregulation of environmental impact assessment (August 2022). First, the Ministry will amend the Environmental Impact Assessment Act to estimate the impact of development projects on the environment in advance and apply customized evaluation procedures. It will also improve the standards for determining whether to renegotiate the environmental impact assessment to address equity issues between large and small-scale projects. Further, it will designate administrative plans to prevent disasters (comprehensive plan for small river maintenance, basic river plan) as targets for summary strategic environmental impact assessment to respond to disasters promptly.

② Improving the reliability of environmental impact assessment

The Ministry of Environment pursues institutional improvement, such as preparing standards for calculating outsourcing costs1, to solve problems related to low-cost outsourcing services. It will also introduce an intensive management system, such as strengthening the verification of evidence for environmental status surveys for evaluations that are less than 80% of the outsourcing cost calculation standards.

The Ministry will introduce an online public opinion to encourage residents' participation in environmental impact assessments. Also, it will select businesses subject to priority management by period and type of business and conduct joint site inspections with experts to strengthen follow-up management of environmental impact assessments.

③ Reinforcing the scientific basis for managing the national environment

The Ministry of Environment plans to upgrade the environmental conservation value assessment map and the environmental impact assessment support system (EIASS) so that stakeholders can check the evaluation/consultation progress and use data from anywhere when establishing environmental impact assessments and national land-environmental plans. The Ministry also continues to promote the development of environmental impact assessment ICT. The ME will build big data, including accumulated evaluation information, public data, and local complaints, to use for evaluations and develop environment impact prediction models for business operators and evaluation authorities.

Kim Jong-ryul, Director-General of the Nature Conservation Bureau at the Ministry of Environment, said, "As discussed at the UN Biodiversity Conference (CBD COP 15) last December, preserving the natural ecosystem is an essential task to overcome climate change and biodiversity loss." He added, "We will preserve ecosystems and expand protected areas to create a healthy natural environment and expand public services so that people can experience the benefits of nature."

1 Calculation of appropriate costs of technical service/construction based on generalized processes and construction methods

Contact: Chung Yoon-hwan, Senior Deputy Director

Nature and Ecology Policy Division / +82-(0)44-201-7221

Foreign Media Contact: Chun Minjo(Rachel)

+82-(0)44-201-6055 / rachelmchun@korea.kr