Korean Wetlands

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Wetland is one of nature's indicators for the integrity of ecological environments. Wetlands of various sizes along the coast as well as inland are providing habitats for a variety of species, but wetlands are disappearing from reckless development.

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Binaeseom Island on the Namhangang River in Chungju. As recently as five years ago, there were natural marshes all over the island. But the landscape has changed as the island saw more tourists and was opened up as a filming location. Hyeonam Marsh, discovered for the first time in 2012, was rated a Grade 1 wetland for its very high preservation value. But now it's completely disappeared as it had been filled up with earth and reclaimed as farmland. The Ministry of Environment conducted a survey of wetlands nationwide for the past three years and found that 165 inland wetlands have shrunk in size or disappeared. In nine out of ten such cases, wetlands were damaged when farmland, housing sites, golf courses, or industrial complexes were built over them. Inland wetlands are home to a wide range of creatures and help maintain ecological balance. Experts call for the enforcement of so-called "natural resources offset policy" which mandates that natural resources damaged by development be restored to their previous state to prevent further loss.