Korea’s Overlooked Treasure

By Benjamin Krueger

Being a student of life sciences at Korea University, I have come to appreciate the vast diversity of life on Earth. Korea itself has a rich spectrum of species within its borders, and one needs not go further than the outskirts of Seoul to appreciate this natural beauty represented by the rolling hills and sky-reaching mountains that define the landscape.

Biodiversity is one of the finest assets that Korea possesses, yet many take this wealth for granted. Looking through textbooks for my Phylogenic and Evolutionary Biology course, I see a plethora of species that reside here within the Korean Peninsula.

Biodiversity in fact is not only a treasure of Korea, but of the entire earth itself ― the sheer magnitude of species on our planet is more than enough to keep phylogenic biologists busy with identifying them.

Each species on Earth occupy an ecological niche, and play a role in nature. Some roles are beneficial: Others play harmful roles, such as disease vectors and crop pests. The truth is that each organism plays a unique role in the environment, and the consequences of any one species disappearing could entail unforeseen consequences for other species and its impact on human welfare.

Humanity, undoubtedly, has the most detrimental and wide-reaching impact on the world's species, more than any other factor, except possibly an earth-changing meteorite impact. Economic development and unchecked fossil fuel burning are causing the Earth to change rapidly, and a lot of species are failing to keep up. Some biologists estimate that as many as half of today's extant species may become extinct by the year 2100. This is unacceptable, and let me tell you why.

The environment provides billions, if not trillions, of dollars in services to humans annually. Countless species provide humans with food: Another large number of species makes up ingredients that we find in medicines, in clothes we wear and in many of the products we use daily.

Another surprising fact is that there are still so many species in existence that haven't been discovered. Imagine that an undiscovered species of plant contains the key to a medicine for cancer, or another that contains genes for an amazing resistance to disease and pests; imagine the benefit this would serve to mankind!

Now imagine what a disappointment it would be if the aforementioned species were to become extinct before we even learn of their existence. The truth is, numbers of species are going extinct every day, many of which have not even been discovered yet.

This brings me back to Korea. The plan for a supposedly ``Grand Korean Waterway,'' or Hanbando Daeunha, aims to dig a big ditch through the middle of the peninsula in an attempt to save a little money. Besides the fact that Korea doesn't really have a lot of land to give up anyways, this could be one of the most ridiculous ideas I've ever heard of.

I don't think I'm alone in saying that there need not be a waterway linking Seoul and Busan. Aside from the economic cost of such a folly, the real impact this project would have is on the environment. Korea shouldn't sell its natural beauty for an economic idea doomed to fail.

Probably the only positive aspect of the division of North and South Korea is the untouched land within the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). This place has been a miracle for Korean wildlife, and has been an unspoiled piece of land of over 50 years. Some of the world's most endangered birds, such as the white-naped and the red-crowned crane, make their home in this thin strip of land.

Korea's small number of mammalian species is complimented by rarities such as the Asiatic black bear, and some speculate that there may even be a Korean tiger, an animal of Korean legend that you can no longer find on the rest of the peninsula. Korea's natural beauty is not only represented in the majestic mountains and beautiful East Sea, but also by the diversity of its species.

Korea is in its own way a land of rich biodiversity, and should take steps in order to preserve it. Korea is well poised to adopt renewable energy and change its infrastructure, being a small, technologically-developed country.

Countries like Korea and Japan could easily be leaders in the shift to a new era of oil independence and environment-friendly renewable energy technologies. This would in turn alleviate humanity's impact on the environment, and would significantly reduce the rate of loss of biodiversity.

I only hope that short-term economic gambles won't come before a genuine interest in the long-term prosperity of Korea, nor before an effort to preserve the beauty in species diversity that Korea possesses, a national treasure of which so few seem to be aware.

The writer is a U.S. student studying in the Department of International Studies and College of Life Sciences at Korea University. He can be reached at btkrueger@korea.ac.kr.