By Yi Whan-woo
The country’s first-ever World Conservation Congress will discuss solutions to the challenges of preserving biodiversity and promoting sustainable development at the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) the border area that divides the two Koreas.
The organizing committee said Tuesday that the issue is included in one of the 450 forums during the International Union for Conservation of Nature conference on Jeju Island, from Sept. 6 to 15.
The forum co-organized by the Ministry of Environment and Gyeonggi Research Institute, a provincial think-tank, will be at 5 p.m. on Sept. 7 at Room 202 of the International Convention Center.
“Rather than prohibiting people from entering the DMZ, the participants this time will work together for harmony between nature and people,” the committee said.
Participants with expertise in the environment, architecture and natural heritage will discuss the best conditions for biodiversity and possible environmental threats to the DMZ that is 250 kilometers long and 4 kilometers wide.
They will share ideas for the development of the zone, one of the world’s most heavily fortified borders, as a tourist attraction.
Researchers at the think tanks in Gyeonggi and Gangwon provinces will attend as the two regions border the DMZ.
Qunli Han, a UNESCO member, will introduce other ecological conservation areas abroad, and cases that successfully drew the support of local residents.
Suh Yeh-re, an architecture professor at Cornell University, will explain the ecological value of the DMZ as a potential tour attraction and will map out a plan for the establishment of a park in the area dedicated to world peace.
A total of 10,000 participants representing the United Nations, government offices, nongovernmental organizations, and private firms will attend the 10-day conference.