By Soh Ji-young
For about half a century, the Demilitarized Zone, a 4 km-wide and
155-mile-long strip of land along the 38th parallel line, was the long-
standing symbol of separation and ideological conflict between the
But now, with the wind of reconciliation blowing stronger than ever on
the Korean peninsula, the DMZ is at the center of history again, this
time in an entirely new light.
In the aftermath of the historical summit meeting in June, North and
South Korea agreed to reconnect the severed railway between Seoul
and Sinuiju, and also build a adjacent highway through the DMZ.
Set to be completed by September of next year, construction started
on Sept. 18. It is currently in the stage of clearing away the tens of
thousands of land mines buried in the bordering regions of the DMZ.
But environmentalists are cautioning against the recent developments,
as there are fears that the current trend of inter-Korean reconciliation
might lead to projects that would harm the unique ecosystem of the
DMZ and its surrounding areas.
The DMZ was first defined along the Military Demarcation Line in 1953
as a result of the cease-fire agreement to stop the Korean War. It
extends from the island of Kyodong, Kanghwado, on the west and
stretches for about 250 km to Myongho-ri, northern Kosong on the
east. The DMZ separating the two Koreas has been rigidly enforced by
the Military Armistice Commission, which prevents human inhabitation.
The Civilian Controlled Area (CCA), located 5-20 km south of the DMZ,
has also been very restricted, with development curbed due to the
presence of army bases.
As a result of being virtually untouched for 47 years, the land
tarnished with ideological conflict was transformed into an ecological
treasure trove, full of invaluable flora and fauna unlike anywhere in the
world. The region is reported to house about 2,800 varieties of animals
and plants, about 146 of which are endangered or rare species.
``The DMZ area is an ecological paradise, full of diverse animals and
plants,'' said Kim Kwi-gon, professor of the department of landscape
architecture at Seoul National University. He was the first civilian to
conduct research inside the DMZ three years ago, and is currently
serving as head of the research team formed to assess the
environmental impact of the proposed inter- Korean highway on the
``Even land developers have recognized the necessity of preserving
the DMZ,'' he said.
International circles have also shown keen interest in the DMZ area,
as it is the only region in the world where human interference was
blocked for so long.
Several organizations, such as the International Union for the
Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources(IUCN) and UNESCO,
are examining the scientific and legal possibilities for the
establishment of a nature conservation and biodiversity protection
area in the DMZ.
From an ecological perspective, the DMZ and the surrounding zones
can be largely divided into the western, center, and eastern areas,
according to Kim.
The western area of Kanghwa, Paju and Yonchon is home to many
diverse flora and fauna of high ecological value. Eleven endangered
species such as the yellow bittern, ruddy-breasted drake, gray-faced
green woodpecker and black-capped kingfisher, as well as 13
nationally designated protected species such as the Manchurian
crane, golden eagle, white-naped crane and common kestrel were
discovered. The area also has internationally protected species such
as the gorani (a kind of roe deer), sak (a wild cat) and other various
species indigenous to Korea.
``These were the findings of the research that Seoul National
University conducted for the last two and a half years, with support
from the UNDP and the Korean government,'' Kim explained.
The high-altitude Chorwon plain, located in the central area, is a major
bird migration site, particularly famous for being the winter home of the
Manchurian crane, of which only about a thousand or so are left in
the world. About 10 percent of the world's Manchurian cranes spend
each winter at Chorwon. Many other endangered species, such as the
white-naped crane, hooded crane and scaly-sided merganser can be
also observed in the region.
The mountainous eastern area containing Yanggu, Inje and Kosong is
a treasure trove of rare plants such as the Korea sophora and the
diamond bluebell. It is also home to ``Yongneup'' or ``Dragon
Swamp,''located on Mt. Taeam, 1280m above sea level. Over 4,500
years old, it is currently designated as a conserved wetland under the
international Ramsar treaty.
But with the recent thaw in inter-Korean relations, these regions are
continuing to receive pressure for development. As the DMZ area is to
serve as the main gateway in future cooperative projects between the
North and the South, various suggestions are being made about how
to utilize the region.
Local groups in Kyonggi and Kangwon Province are hurrying to
develop the area into a major tourist site, and major corporations are
also eyeing the area for launching future projects that promise to be
lucrative. Other ideas such as building a veterans museum, a meeting
center for separated families, an industrial complex, or cultivating the
area for farming are being proposed.
Even more serious is the damage which is being done at this very
moment. Environmentalists' concerns do not seem farfetched, as
some valuable habitats and swamps located near the Sachon River
have already shown damage due to the preliminary construction of the
railroad. As the railroad and highway are about to be built straight
across the Sachon River, the destruction of the river's ecosystem is
also considered unavoidable.
``The government is recklessly overturning 10m of soil to remove the
mines, without even considering the migration routes of wild animals,''
said Ahn Chang-hee, director of the Northern Kyonggi Korean
Federation for Environmental Movement.
The Environment Ministry and the Construction and Transportation
Ministry had formed a joint assessment team of 10 experts in related
fields to assess the environmental impact of the proposed inter-
Korean highway on the DMZ area. They had started work in late
September, and are required to submit a report by December of this
year after two months of investigations.
But environmental groups have lashed out at the environmental
assessment plans, claiming it is impossible to conduct a thorough
survey in such a short time.
``The government is going ahead with the railroad plans unreasonably,
without considering the environmental factors at all,'' said Seo
Jae-chul, of the Green Korea United. Seo had first participated in the
joint assessment team as a NGO representative, but later left the
team to protest against the assessment, which he considers as
nothing more than a formality.
``A assessment should be carried out for at least a year, to examine
the wildlife during all of the four seasons,'' he said.
``A complete ecological study must be carried out before
construction, and all the related parties, such as NGOs, experts, and
government ministries must take part,'' he emphasized.
To protect the ecology of the inter-Korean border regions, the
Environment Ministry came up with a reform plan on Sept. 23, aiming
at permanently preserving areas with high ecological value.
``After completing an overall analysis of the ecological system in DMZ
and its surrounding areas, we will draw up an ecological map based on
the findings, and enforce environmental impact assessment and prior
ecological adaptability systems when promoting projects in the area,''
said a ministry official. The subject areas cover 9,501.3 square
meters, and encompass the DMZ, the North Korean border area and
the southern and northern parts of the buffer zones.
Areas will be classified into four categories: reserve area,
conservation area, quasi-conservation area and rearrangement area,
according to environmental value for enforcement of graded
supervision. While reserve areas will be permanently preserved even
after unification for academic research purposes, conservation areas
will restrict development and quasi-conservation areas will be
obligated to formulate an environmental restoration plan before
launching projects. In the rearrangement area, ecological parks and
tourist spots will be constructed, and ecological tourist courses
leading to Mt. Sorak and Mt. Kumkang will be developed.
``We came up with the plans as massive development projects are
expected in the buffer zones which serve as the connecting points
between the North and South,'' the official said.
But environmental experts are viewing the plan with skepticism, saying
it will not be effective enough to stop unification projects that entail
the possibility of harming the environment, such as the inter-Korean
``We welcome the construction of inter-Korean railroads and
highways, as it contributes to laying the cornerstone for unification,''
said director Ahn.
``But the North and South should first cooperate in conducting a
thorough assessment of the ecological and cultural assets of the
buffer zones, and then build environmentally-friendly management
plans based on the data,'' said Ahn.
The preservation of the DMZ depends on whether the two Koreas can
muster enough determination to safeguard the precious ecological
system, rather than risk its destruction through development.
contributed by TheKoreaTimes