Population: 46,884,800  (July 1999 est.) Land Area: Total: 98,480 sq km Land: 98,190 sq km Water: 290 sq km Coastline: 2,413 km (Source:  CIA World Factbook 1999)

Korea                                 ..........in this page Contacts Basic Data CSD Data Ocean and Coastal Zone Integrated Decision-Making Status Capacity-building, education, training and awareness-raising Constraints Information, financing and cooperation     Contacts Mr. Jae-Hyung Ryoo Assistant Director Coastal Planning & Management Division Ministry of Maritime Affairs & Fisheries Tel: 82-2-3148-6571 Fax: 82-2-3148-6575 E-mail: jhryooudmp@yahoo.com Mailing Address: 139 Chungjong-No 3, Seodaemun-Gu, Seoul 120-715, Republic of Korea Ministry of the Environment http://www.moenv.go.kr Oceanographic Data Center http://haema.nfrda.re.kr/kodc Korea Meteorological Administration http://www.kma.go.kr (Source:  CIA World Factbook 1999)   SUMMARY OF OCEAN  AND COASTAL PROGRAMS Many thanks are due to the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development, the source of the information below. The information was taken from Korea's submission to the 7th Session of the Commission on Sustainable Development (last update: January 1999). For further information on social and economic factors, natural resources, and institutional structures in Korea see the United Nations System-Wide Web Site on National Implementation of the Rio Commitments National Information for Korea at http://www.un.org/esa/agenda21/natlinfo/countr/repkorea/index.htm   OCEAN AND COASTAL AREAS The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea was signed in 1993 and ratified in 1996. Integrated Decision-Making To effectively implement oceans and marine policies, the Government established a new Government organization, the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fishery (MOMAF), in August 1996. This ministry enforces policies designed to protect ocean and marine resources and is responsible for policies on marine environmental protection and sustainable use of marine living resources. The central Government, local governments, fisheries cooperatives, and research institutes share the responsibility of protecting ocean and fisheries. However, the role of the Government is still most important. In addition, two mechanisms have been established to facilitate coordination among all responsible organizations. These are the commission on Protection of the Quality and Supply of Fresh Water Resources, under the office of the Prime Minister, and the Committee of Maritime Pollution Response of MOMAF. Among the Major Groups involved in decision-making in this area are the National Committee for Marine Environment Conservation, the National Committee for Port Policy, and the National Committee for Fisheries Management. Action is envisaged through various strategies, including the following: the National Action Plan for Agenda 21, the Marine Development Plan, the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Vision 21 of Korea, the Five-Year Action Plan for Marine Pollution Preventionand National Major Tasks of People's Government. There is, in addition, an Integrated Coastal Zone Management Plancurrently being established. A policy of Total Allowance Catch (TAC), as well as an ongoing restructuring of fishery activities, governs the sustainable use and conservation of marine living resources. Further, the Wetland Conservation Act is being established to form firm legal ground for the conservation and management of tidal flats. Other legislation and regulations that pertain to oceans and seas include the following: Framework Act on Marine Development Marine Pollution Prevention Act Natural Environment Conservation Act Water Quality Conservation Act Environmental Impact Assessment Act Public Waters Management Act Coastal Zone Management Act (draft) Wastes Control Act, Act Relating to the Treatment of Sewage, Night Soil and Livestock Wastewater Fisheries Act Fishery Resources Act Act on Environmental Management of Coastal Fishing Grounds (draft) In addition, codes of practice, standards and guidelines have been established by the Government, and these are mandatory in nature. Status The major current uses of the coastal areas in the Republic of Korea are as follows: twenty-five cities and twenty-two industrial complexes exist in coastal areas; thirty-three percent of the total population lives in these areas. Twenty-eight trade ports and twenty-two coastal ports are also established in coastal areas. The percentage of the economy contributed by fishing was 0.74 % of GNP in 1996. Since the 1980s, there has been a decline in the deep-sea fishing industry and a rise in production of marine aquaculture. As the public demand for high quality protein sources increases, this trend is expected to continue. However, the disruption of the coastal fishing industry by land reclamation projects, industrial water effluents, waste disposal, and oil spills has had significant effects on the sustainable development of coastal fisheries. The ecosystem surrounding The Republic of Korea is very vulnerable to the coastal activities of adjacent nations, such as the Russian Federation, China, The Democratic Republic of Korea, and Japan. Under such circumstances, regional and international cooperation is required to effectively protect and preserve the marine ecosystem and resources in the sea. The impact of other coastal-and marine-based industries (including tourism) on sustainable development of coastal areas include: An adverse impact on the ecological character due to coastal-utilization A worsening of coastal and marine pollution A rapid decrease of tidal flats by indiscernible reclamation The primary sources of land-based pollution of the marine environment are sewage, Industrial effluents, dumping, etc. The primary sources of sea-based pollution of the marine environment are oil spills, aquaculture, and dredging. In addition to activities carried out through the various strategies and plans enumerated above, support is given to NGO activities related to the conservation of wetlands, etc. Capacity-building, education, training and awareness-raising In the last 30 years, the development of industrial complexes and many new cities in the Korean coastal area has made the disposal of industrial water effluents and sewage from urban areas an urgent issue. For the conservation and sustainable use of living marine resources, Korean waters have become the focus for the prevention of marine pollution from land-based activities and sea-based activities. The Government conducts a long-term research program to monitor and assess changes in the marine ecosystem caused by marine pollution. Based on the results of the research, ecosystem distribution status is reported and an environmental sensitivity map and a map of the wetlands is made. A Special Training Programme for Sustainable Coastal Management is being conducted by the Institute of MOMAF, and several awareness-raising campaigns are organized, including: Ceremony and Activities of The Day of Ocean every year Adoption of Ocean Chart Conducting symposiums, seminars and workshops related to marine environment conservation Establishing and Operating Ocean Culture Foundation Initiating a new curriculum in school on marine environment Constraints Priority constraints to implementing effective programmes to address the issues raised in the programmes areas are the following: Local governments' desire for coastal development Insufficient national budget Stakeholder's conflicts Issues related to the development, transfer and use of environmentally-sound technologies in this programme area include: Establishing the Information System for Marine Pollution Response and Salvage Constructing ships' wastes disposal facilities(13 ports) National Program for Marine Environment Research and Development Special Research Programme on the characteristics of the marine environment Decisions regarding choice of technology are made on the basis of whether the system provides grounds for scientific decision-making to decision- makers at the pollution site or not. Information The country has established a Network for Marine Pollution Monitoring and continuously observes sea-level variations at the twenty-three tidal stations on the coast. There is also a research programme to develop an index on the marine environment. The information collected is used to study sea-level variations, protect coastal areas and support leisure activities. Part of the data can be accessed through the Internet at the Web sites referenced below. Financing All activities are financed by the national budget. Cooperation The Government is strengthening regional and international cooperation for the protection of the marine environment and living marine resources. The North-East Pacific region has abundant biological and mineral resources. It accounts for the production of over 1/3 of the global annual fish-catch, and its seaways are used for over 1/3 of global transportation activities. The region is one of the most rapidly developing areas in the world. The Republic of Korean Government places a high priority on regional and international cooperation and actively participates in cooperative international marine activities. The Republic of Korea is actively participating in international programs such as the World Ocean Circulation Experiment, the Study of Climate Variability and Predictability, the Joint Global Ocean Flux Study, and the Global Ocean Observing System under the auspices of the IOC and the WMO. The Republic of Korea has bilateral fishing agreements with 14 nations and is a contracting party to 8 international fishing organizations. The Government of The Republic of Korea is promoting regional and international cooperative research efforts of the International Oceanographic Committee in order to exchange relevant information and data. The Republic of Korea is a Party to the following oceans-related international agreements: IMO, International Maritime Organization IHO, International Hydrographic Organization IOPC FUND, International Oil Pollution Fund UN Convention on the Law Of the Sea IOC, International Oceanographic Commission ISA, International Seabed Authority AT, Antarctic Treaty CITES, Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora CBD, Convention on Biological Diversity PICES, Pacific International Commission for the Exploration of the Sea NOWPAP, Northwest Pacific Action Plan EAS, United Nations Environment Programme For East Asian Seas UNEP, UN Environment Programme In addition, the Government is a Member of the OECE (Fisheries Committee) Resources Conservation Working Group and is a Party to several Fishery Conventions (Organizations), as follows: IWC, International Whaling Commission NAFO, Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization ICCAT, International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna IOTC, Indian Ocean Fishery Commission CCAMLR, Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources CECAF, Committee for the Eastern Central Atlantic COFI, Committee on Fisheries IOFC, Indian Ocean Fishery Commission APFIC, Asia Pacific Fishery Commission WECAFC, Western Central Atlantic Fishery Commission COPCBS, Convention on the Conservation and Management of - Pollock Resources in the Central Bering Sea APEC/F & MRC WG, Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation/Fisheries & Marine This information is based on The Republic of Korea's submission to the 5th and 7th Sessions of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development. Last update: December 1998 (top)

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