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Seminar
Inter-Korean Forestry Cooperation Seminar

On August 23, 2022, the ‘Inter-Korean Forestry Cooperation Seminar’ was held in the conference room of the Mirae Library of Kangwon National University.

On August 23, the Inter-Korean Forestry Cooperation Seminar co-hosted by the Kangwon National University Cooperation Association, the Kangwon Institute for Unification, and Kangwon Institute, was held in the conference room of the Mirae Library of Kangwon National University. The aim of this seminar was to discuss the restoration of the forest ecosystem on the Korean Peninsula, measures to respond to the climate crisis, and forestry cooperation plans. Experts from various fields attended this seminar, including Young-hoon Song, director of the Kangwon Institute for Unification, and Heon-Su Lee, president of the Inter-Korean Gangwon Province Cooperation Association. Hanns Seidel Foundation’s senior researcher Dr. Hyun-Ah Choi offered opinions on inter-Korean forest cooperation plans as a panelist. Project coordinator Jeongmin Khil and intern researcher Hyukbin Eun also attended the seminar.

During the seminar, Gi-chan Bae, former secretary general of the Advisory Board for Democratic Peace and Unification, introduced the reality of inter-Korean relations and future prospects for inter-Korean cooperation through a keynote speech. Professor Jong-chun Woo then suggested the establishment of an agroforestry complex and a research institute for forestry resources as a way to promote inter-Korean forest cooperation. In addition, Professor Jin-woo Park explained that forestry cooperation is a way to bypass sanctions against North Korea from a humanitarian perspective, and therefore emphasized the need to establish strategies according to changes in the situation in various aspects. Furthermore, an opinion was raised that inter-Korean forest cooperation projects should be continuously promoted to preserve the ecosystem in the DMZ and border areas and to protect the native forests in order to respond to climate change.  After the presentations, the participants had a chance to discuss the topic and agreed that inter-Korean forestry cooperation should develop into cooperation in overcoming the climate crisis.

 

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