Report
Peacefully Using the DMZ – More Than Just a Hope?

The first part of the session, titled 'DMZ, Coexistence of Ecology and Peace', is held by Kim Jae-keun, chairman of the Korea Ecology Association, Park Eun-jin, director of the National Eutrophy Convergence Research Team, Kim Jae Han Professor of Hallym University and Choi Hyun-ah, a senior researcher of the Hanns Seidel Foundation, gave presentations and discussions.

U Korea News at: http://www.ukoreanews.com

Mr. Hae-Sung Chun, Vice Minister of Unification, gave an opening remark for the forum. He mentioned that the DMZ is an important area in developing inter-Korean peace and economic cooperation. He also mentioned that the using of the DMZ peacefully is not only a hope - it will become a reality. Dr. Eun-Jin Park, National Institute of Ecology, and Prof. Jae-Han Kim of Hanlim University did presentations within the framework of the DMZ, Ecology and Peace Sessions. Dr Park mentioned endangered species in the DMZ and suggested Inter-Korean cooperation focus on these species. Prof. Kim suggested that the DMZ function has to be changed from that of a wall to connection. Dr. Hyun-Ah Choi, Senior Researcher of Hanns Seidel Foundation (HSF) Korea, attended the panel discussion. Dr. Choi mentioned the cooperation approaches in border areas based on HSF's surveys in Goseong and Bakryong-do (island). She also gave an example concerning citizen participation: the management of Grünes Band (Green belt) in Germany .

An article by U Korea News is available in Korean on their website at
http://www.ukoreanews.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=7484