Korea's green wave in spotlight : Korea's forest welfare model of recreational forest, forest bathing, healing forest, etc. goes into China

Korea Forest Service (KFS) Minister Dr. SHIN Won Sop welcomed the Chinese delegation headed by Mr. Zhoa Sucong, Administrator of State Forestry Administration (SFA) to KFS, and hosted the signing ceremony of the MOU on forest welfare on March 26, 2015.

Since KFS and SFA signed a MOU concerning the cooperation in the field of forestry in 1984, both sides have been striving to enhance the forest cooperation on plantation for combating desertification, prevention of forest pest and disease, conservation of Siberian tiger, etc. The China-Korea forest partnership has actually centered on forest restoration and desertification prevention. Now that this new MOU has been signed, the forest cooperation will be further extended into forest welfare.

SFA made its request to KFS for introducing Korea's model of natural recreation forest to China. Recently, the Government of China values the significance of ecosystem, and its national key policies place emphasis on ecosystem conservation. Thus, considering the growing interest in recreation and welfare, China is taking recreational and cultural approaches to forest resources management.

With the establishment of this MOU, both sides agreed to operate a joint working group this September so as to share Korea's experience and knowledge of forest welfare, thereby developing cooperation on related laws, facility construction, field programs, etc. and carrying out cooperative activities.

At the signing ceremony, Minister SHIN Won Sop noted that developing countries have increasingly requested for Korea's advanced forest welfare model. He further highlighted that the established cooperation on welfare with China will be a good example to export Korea's forest welfare service to other countries around the world, as well as establishing bridgehead for Korean companies to advance into overseas forest welfare businesses.