Workshop
A Trip to Goseong - The Korean Border, Biodiversity, and Unification

The first part of the 2-day event included a stop at the Goseong Unification Observation Tower. The tower sits in close proximity to the North Korean border and gives a scenic view over the bay, where a small island acts as a visual marker for the dividing line between the two Koreas.

Following the observatory, HSF toured the Goseong DMZ Museum. The museum holds countless artifacts and documents from the Korean War, including a dedicated section to the German Green Belt, an area that could one day be used as an example for the peaceful future of a previously militarized area. The DMZ Museum is a partner of the Hanns Seidel Foundation and the visit concluded with a brief meeting with DMZ Museum director, Mr. Park Seong-jeong.

The workshop also included visits to the locations of previous projects. In October of 2020, HSF Korea collaborated in installing frog ladders around the rice fields of Goseong County. The ladders are a useful tool to preserve healthy population numbers of the area’s frog species. A brief inspection of the ladders confirmed their continuous function. Following the visit to the rice fields, the Foundation re-visited an area, where in 2018 and 2019 forest fires devastated a large area in the hills of Goseong County. HSF assisted in the reforestation of an area affected by the fires, where a small mixed forest continues to thrive. A short visit gave an overview of the regrowth process.

Finally, HSF hosted a roundtable meeting between various North Korea-focused academics, foundations, and organizations. The meeting offered deep insight on the topic of North Korea and created a unique environment for experts to share their knowledge and valuable experience. The roundtable illustrated the various approaches taken on North Korea and led to interesting discussions on the topic.