Visit to Gangwon Province in the margin of the 30th anniversary of Hanns Seidel Foundation Korea

10/30/2017

On 24 October 2017 Hanns Seidel Foundation (HSF) and Korea Research Institute on Climate Change (KRIC) did a Joint workshop in Chuncheon, capital of Gangwon Province. The workshop invited HSF, which made MOU with KRIC in 2016 to commemorate its 30th anniversary of HSF Korea office and to share activities on climate change projects in DPRK. This workshop also discussed the possibilities the future cooperation in two Koreas focus on Greenhouse Gas (GHG) reduction.

Mr. An, Beong Heon (President of KRIC) and Dr. Peter Witterauf (Secretary General of HSF) did greetings and welcome remarks. After the greetings Dr. Susanne Luther (Director of the Institute for International Cooperation of HSF) and Dr. Bernhard Seliger (Resident Representative of HSF Korea) shared HSF’s activities on climate change. Afterwards Mr. Lee, Kyu-Uk (Researcher of KRIC) explained KRIC’s research projects and suggested cooperation mid/long-term development plan. The participants also discussed future cooperation on climate change.

On 25 October 2017 Dr. Peter Witterauf (Secretary General of HSF), Dr. Susanne Luther (Director of the Institute for International Cooperation of HSF), Mr. Willi Lange (Head of the Northeast Asia department of HSF Korea), together with Dr. Bernhard Seliger, Mr. Young-Soo Kim, and Dr. Hyun-Ah Choi from HSF Korea and Dr. Nial Moores (President of Birds Korea) visited HSF’s partner organisations – Goseong County, DMZ museum and Sonjeong-Ri ecological trail in Goseong County. They also did marine bird survey in Goseong.

HSF Korea and Goseong County discussed ways to see energy transition, nature conservation and community development as a chance for Korea's border area. As part of the work HSF Korea together with Birds Korea, Busan-based Korean NGO have surveyed seabirds in Goseong County from 2015 to 2017. During the HSF Korea and Birds Korea surveys in Goseong County we recorded 46 species of seabird, including species that breed in Russia, Alaska and Canada, and some that winter in Indonesia and Australia; at least one seabird – the Pelagic Cormorant – which commutes across the DMZ every day in winter. HSF Korea and Birds Korea shared the result with Mr. Seung-Keun Yoon, Governor of Goseong County and officers of Goseong County.

In addition, HSF Korea and Birds Korea start the seabirds exhibition supported by DMZ museum from 25th October 2017 to 24th January 2018. This exhibition is selection of seabirds near to the inner border of Korea in Goseong County, Gangwon Province.

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