The Ministry of Environment (Minister Cho Myung-rae) announced that the Minister of Environment and Eco and Environment Minister of China, Liganji, held the annual Environment ministerial meeting between Korea and China at the Lotte Hotel in Seoul on November 4th.

The meeting decided to formalize a high-level policy council every year at the Korea-China environmental ministers' meeting in Beijing, China, in February of this year. This is the first annual meeting that will be the official dialogue for environmental cooperation, including the atmospheric sector.

At the annual meeting, the two Ministers of Environment signed a plan to implement the Blue Sky Plan, a large framework for cooperation in the air sector.

The Blue Sky plan extends cooperation between the two countries from research and research projects to prevention and reduction projects such as sharing forecast information, technology cooperation, and policy exchange, and clarifies the will of both countries as diplomatic s.

The Blue Sky Plan establishes four specific implementation goals* and includes measures to implement three areas: ▲ policy and technology exchange, ▲ joint research, and ▲ technology industrial cooperation.

* ① Strengthen air pollution control policy exchange, ② Raise scientific awareness of air pollution formation principles and sources in Korea-China, ③ Realize bi-directional industrialization cooperation model of air pollution prevention technology, ④ Provide foundation for realization of air quality improvement goal of both countries and Northeast Asia Contribute to quality improvement

In the area of policy and technology exchange, the agency decided to exchange manpower and technology among agencies * to increase the capability of air pollution prevention technology, and to cooperate with the expansion of eco-friendly vehicles (electric cars and hydrogen cars) and the regulation of exhaust gas for old diesel vehicles.

* National Institute of Environmental Research, China Center for Air Pollution Prevention, etc.

In the joint research field, the air quality forecasting level will be raised through the sharing of forecast information and the exchange of technology for forecasting and simulation application. The government decided to expand the ground observation point for analyzing the chemical composition of air pollutants and to improve the accuracy of simulation (simulation) of air quality simulation.

In the field of technology industrialization cooperation, cooperation with the environmental industry was promoted by sharing information on markets, technologies, and companies, and demonstration of air pollution prevention technology.

The Korea-China Environmental Cooperation Center, which opened in June last year in Beijing, China, will be in charge of overall management and coordination, including identifying detailed cooperation projects in the Blue Sky Plan and checking the implementation status.

The main contents of this annual meeting are as follows.

Ministry of Environment, Cho Myung-rae introduced the 'Special Countermeasures for High Dust Concentration Period' and 'Comprehensive Management Plan on Fine Dust (2020 ~ 2024)' announced on November 1 this year, and emphasized cooperation between the two countries to reduce the frequency and intensity of high concentration fine dust is essential. 

The Minister of Ecology and Environment, Liganjie introduced Korea's Action Plan for Comprehensive Management of Air Pollution in the Fall and Winter in 2019-2020 Jingjin Area and Surrounding Area*, and explained the achievements and efforts to improve air quality. China promised to actively interact and cooperate with the Korean government based on trust and internal stability.

* Beijing and Tianjin, Shijiazhuang, Tangshan, Handan, Xingtai, Baoding (Xing'an New District), Changzhou, Langfang, Hengshui, Taiyuan, Yangchen, Changx, Jincheng, Shandong, Jinan, Zibo, Hebei Jining, Dezhou, Liaocheng, Binzhou, Heze, Henan Zhengzhou, Kaifeng, Anyang, Hebei, Xinxiang, Jiaozhou, Fuyang

The two Ministers decided to deepen and develop the Blue Sky Plan by reviewing the results of the Blue Sky Plan at next year's annual meeting, discovering new cooperation projects, exchanging research personnel, and conducting academic conferences (conferences) involving government, academia, and corporations.

Minister of Environment Cho Myung-rae requested China's attention and support during the second 'P4G' Summit for Green Growth and Global Goals 2030, which will be held in Korea next year. The minister will cooperate with the preparation of the 15th Conference on Biodiversity Meetings in Kunming, China next year.

The two ministers agreed that direct ocean discharge of contaminated water from Japan's Fukushima nuclear power plant would violate international agreements and adversely affect the marine environment, the two ministers agreed to share their awareness and make concerted efforts for joint response.

China's Minister said he plans to regularly hold environmental policy briefings for Korean companies in China to hear opinions and resolve difficulties. In order to introduce Korea's superior technology to China, the minister proposed link their environmental technology information system that the two countries have established respectively. 

Minister of Environment Cho Myung-rae said, "In the coming winter and spring, ahead of season of high level of fine dust, in the midst of a great concern of our people about fine dust generating from China, there is an urgent need for substantial cooperation with China to resolve this."

On the occasion of today's signing of the 'Blue Sky Plan', Minister of Environment  Cho Myung-rae said, "the government will closely cooperate with China to solve the fine dust problem by identifying the scientific cause of fine dust generation and expanding joint reduction projects."