The Ministry of Environment (Minister Han Wha-jin) announced that at the 24th Tripartite Environment Ministers Meeting (TEMM*24) held in Nagoya, Japan on November 4, discussions took place with Japanese and Chinese environmental ministers on environmental issues in the Northeast Asian region, including yellow dust reduction, and they adopted a Joint Communique.

* TEMM: Tripartite Environment Ministers Meeting among Korea, China, and Japan

During the meeting, the three countries' ministers expressed a shared intention to work together to develop measures to reduce yellow dust damage through cooperation among the three countries, building on the joint investigation that the three countries and Mongolia began in June of this year.

Furthermore, it was proposed to the ministers of both countries that the yellow dust issue should be discussed as an agenda item in future tripartite meetings, and the three countries agreed to cooperate on this matter.

Meanwhile, Minister Han conveyed the concerns of the Korean people regarding the release of contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant into the ocean, stating that "Japan should follow the discharge plan presented to the international community in accordance with scientific and international standards. Under the principle that contaminated water must be treated to avoid any harm to people and the environment, relevant information should be transparently shared and disclosed."

During this tripartite environment ministers meeting, a youth forum with the participation of young people from the three countries was held as a side event.

The youth forum featured young representatives selected from each of the three countries (five from each country, totaling 15 individuals) discussing the theme "Towards the Harmonious Coexistence with Nature: Inspiring Education for the Future."

In addition, during this meeting, the "Tripartite Environment Ministers Meeting (TEMM) Environmental Award" was presented to individuals who contributed to trilateral environmental cooperation. Among the awardees from Korea, Dr. Moon Saeromi, a researcher at the National Institute of Ecology, was selected for her contribution to the research on desert ecosystems' restoration for dust reduction in Northeast Asia.

Minister Han Wha-jin stated, " The three countries are adjacent and mutually influence each other environmentally, so close cooperation is essential." She added, "We aim to utilize the TEMM to assess the progress and find solutions for cooperation in various fields related to environmental issues in the three countries, including yellow dust, fine dust, climate change, and biodiversity." 

Contact: Kim Yeon-soo, Deputy Director

International Cooperation Division / +82-(0)44-201-6573