IUFRO General Meeting Set to Take Place in Seoul in 2010




The 23rd General Meeting 2010 of the International Union of Forest Research Organizations was decided to take place in Seoul, Korea. Along with the World Forest Congress, it has been dubbed as the two forest Olympics.
Seo Seung-jin, head of the Korea Forest Research Institute, said on August 12 that the 22nd IUFRO General Meeting that was taking place in Brisbane, Australia determined Seoul as a venue for the 2010 General Meeting.
South Africa, Russia, and Brazil, among others, had been considered as a possible site for the future IUFRO General Meeting, but Korea ranked higher in the infrastructure of domestic convention industry and social security, as well as the growth in the area of forest. In addition, a professor of Seoul National University Lee Don-gu was appointed as the president-designate who would chair the IUFRO for the next five years, adding to the nation＇s festive mood.

The IUFRO General Meetings, held at five year intervals, are participated by between 3,000 and 4,000 forest scientists from some 600 research institutes of its 100 members, with the 2010 Seoul General Meeting expected to have between 4,000 and 5,000 participants from 110 countries.

Founded in 1892, the IUFRO comprises worldwide forest research organizations and university unions, which are responsible for forest scientific research and education. And it has been holding general meetings once in every five years, in which minister-level figures and forest scientists from across the world, as well as senior officials of international organizations, such as the UN, participate, to discuss the forest trend and review research strategies.

"It is expected that the nation will take this opportunity of holding the world general meeting to take the initiative in discussing international conventions on forest and to enhance the national status," said an official at the KFRI. "It will boost the nation＇s economy and tourism industry, having significant political and diplomatic repercussions."



Translated by International Cooperation Division
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