On February 12, the Korea Forest Service (KFS) announced that Dr. LIM Sang-seop, Minister of the KFS, met with Gem Tshering, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources of Bhutan, at the National Institute of Forest Science (NIFoS) to discuss cooperation in addressing the climate crisis and enhancing carbon absorption.

Bhutan, a forest-rich country located on the southern slopes of the Eastern Himalayas, has over 70 percent of its land covered by forests. Rising greenhouse gas emissions and increasing temperatures have accelerated glacial melting in the Himalayas, heightening the risk of glacial lake outburst floods and forest-related disasters.

In response, the KFS signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Bhutan in 2022, laying the groundwork for cooperation in climate change response and sustainable forest management.

As of last year, five community forests and enterprises based on forest products had been established, along with 10.6 ha of reforested land across four forest watershed communities. Under the Sustaining an Abundance of Forest Ecosystems (SAFE) initiative, an international project aimed at restoring vulnerable forest ecosystems, approximately 179 ha of forest will be restored across six regions in Bhutan by 2030, an area equivalent to 250 soccer fields.

Minister Gem Tshering recognized the importance of collaboration, stating, “Bhutan values Korea’s expertise in forest conservation, restoration, and disaster management. I look forward to strengthening technical cooperation and knowledge sharing between our two countries in response to climate change.”

Minister LIM Sang-seop underscored the significance of the partnership, remarking, “Drawing from Korea’s successful reforestation experience, we are committed to sharing advanced forest management technologies to contribute to addressing global environmental challenges.”