The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    Netflix apologizes for filming 'Single's Inferno 3' in marine sanctuary

  • 3

    In-N-Out Burger pop-up store attracts record crowd

  • 5

    Calls grow for female flight attendants to ditch skirts for pants

  • 7

    Hamburger franchises having trouble in M&A market

  • 9

    Man gets five-year jail term for K-pop concert ticket fraud

  • 11

    Hallyu inspires Thailand to mull ways to export its culture

  • 13

    Small business owners urge stricter rules on migrant workers switching jobs

  • 15

    From hardcore action to heart-throbbing romance, series to hit in June

  • 17

    Pandas at Everland become tourist magnet

  • 19

    JYP to expand partnership with US music label

  • 2

    BTS' RM named honorary ambassador of war-remains excavation agency

  • 4

    'BLACKPINK the Game' showcases group's unique charm

  • 6

    EXO's Baekhyun, Xiumin and Chen in dispute with SM over contract issue

  • 8

    Transgender cyclist looks to spark debate in historic appearance

  • 10

    Pyongyang seeks to portray rocket as science effort by admitting failure: experts

  • 12

    Suspect in grisly Busan murder sent to prosecutors for further probe

  • 14

    Police send girlfriend murder suspect to prosecution

  • 16

    Nexon case reignites controversy over high level of inheritance tax

  • 18

    S. Korea succeeds in L-SAM missile interception test for 3rd time

  • 20

    Stray Kids drops 3rd LP with 'unique, enjoyable' lead track

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
Sat, June 3, 2023 | 14:39
KoreaToday
Tree-Human Bondage Built on Bijarim Forest
Posted : 2008-05-29 17:13
Updated : 2008-05-29 17:13
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
Sisterhood relationships can take place between cities, between a company and a local authority, or between a school and a welfare center ― or between a human being and a tree.

People gather around nutmeg trees at Bijarim on Jeju Island. After forming "sisterhood'' relationships with the trees, they take part in activities to preserve the forest.
/ Courtesy of Jeju Special
Self-Governing Province
By Kim Rahn
Staff Reporter

Sisterhood relationships can take place between cities, between a company and a local authority, or between a school and a welfare center ― or between a human being and a tree.

In Korea, more than 150 people across the country are ``sisters'' of nutmeg trees at Bijarim, or Nutmeg Tree Forest, on Jeju Island.

The local authority has promoted the special relationship since March 2006 as an effort to raise public interest in one of Jeju's most famous eco-friendly attractions.

A total of 2,878 nutmeg trees aged between 300 to 800 years with a height of seven to 14 meters are growing on an area of 448,165 square meters, which is the world's largest nutmeg-only forest and Korea's Natural Monument No. 374.

Some of the trees are wearing nametags, which indicate they have human sisters.

``Anyone who loves trees and Bijarim can have sisterhood, and 157 people have their sister trees so far,'' said Lim Du-gi, 42, a worker who has managed the forest since 1995.

When a person has the relationship, he or she gets a wallet-size certificate. Every three months, the forest management office sends the human sisters news of their tree sisters through email.

``We tell them how their sisters are doing, such as how much the trees have grown, attaching pictures of the trees. We also offer other news about Jeju, including what flowers you can see and what events you can enjoy on Jeju now,'' Lim said.

When the human sisters revisit the forest, Lim shows pictures of their trees at the time of having the relationship, so that they can see how much the trees have grown. With the certificate, admission is free, Lim said, adding they can also get saplings of nutmeg tree or nuts, which were used to kill parasites in folk remedies.

``Some people reply to the email newsletters, attaching photos of the saplings they are raising in their homes, or asking us what they should do when the saplings are not growing well,'' Lim said.

Kim Seong-young, 57-year-old who runs a shop in Ulsan, got a sisterhood in 2006. ``My dream was to open a tree garden. Although I have not achieved it, I always wanted to keep trees around. The Bijarim management office said it would send news about the trees regularly, so I decided to have a tree sister,'' Kim said.

Kim has replied to the newsletters several times. In one of the emails he sent, Kim told his tree sister how her ``baby,'' the nutmeg sapling that he brought from Bijarim and planted in his garden, was growing. The sender of the email was named ``Bija's brother.'' Bija is nutmeg tree in Korean.

Kang Duk-sam, 64-year-old dentist on Wando Island in South Jeolla Province, said he decided to become a brother of a nutmeg tree as he thought the evergreen tree seemed to have integrity.

``With the regular newsletter, it seems like the tree is close to me although it is far away in reality. I plan to revisit Bijarim to see my sister tree someday,'' Kang said.

Lim of the Bijarim management office said he plans to expand the sisterhood to between those people and farming villages on Jeju, so that they can buy quality farm products at reasonable prices.

rahnita@koreatimes.co.kr
 
wooribank
Top 10 Stories
1Roland Garros 2023 Roland Garros 2023
2Airlines fiercely compete to acquire additional aircraft Airlines fiercely compete to acquire additional aircraft
3Seoul imposes sanctions on North Korean hacking group for role in space launch Seoul imposes sanctions on North Korean hacking group for role in space launch
4More banks offer daily interest payments on deposits More banks offer daily interest payments on deposits
5POSCO, GM expand joint EV battery materials investment in North America POSCO, GM expand joint EV battery materials investment in North America
6LG Chem joins Korean firms strengthening ties with Japan LG Chem joins Korean firms strengthening ties with Japan
7HMM tasked with preventing sale of Hyundai LNG to foreign firm HMM tasked with preventing sale of Hyundai LNG to foreign firm
8Hyundai Elevator launches AI, IoT-powered maintenance service Hyundai Elevator launches AI, IoT-powered maintenance service
9KAERI distances itself from Oxford professor's claim on Fukushima water KAERI distances itself from Oxford professor's claim on Fukushima water
10Indo-Pacific region highlighted as important for Korean economy's future Indo-Pacific region highlighted as important for Korean economy's future
Top 5 Entertainment News
1'HyeMiLeeYeChaePa' producer Lee Tae-kyung hopeful of second season 'HyeMiLeeYeChaePa' producer Lee Tae-kyung hopeful of second season
2How artist Michael Rakowitz resurrects lost past of Iraq through food packaging How artist Michael Rakowitz resurrects lost past of Iraq through food packaging
3[INTERVIEW] 'One Day Off' star Lee Na-young, director on creating subtle, feel-good series INTERVIEW'One Day Off' star Lee Na-young, director on creating subtle, feel-good series
4From hardcore action to heart-throbbing romance, series to hit in June From hardcore action to heart-throbbing romance, series to hit in June
5[INTERVIEW] Lee Jun-hyuk unrecognizable in 'The Roundup: No Way Out' INTERVIEWLee Jun-hyuk unrecognizable in 'The Roundup: No Way Out'
DARKROOM
  • Turkey-Syria earthquake

    Turkey-Syria earthquake

  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group