Fostering Economically Valuable and Ecologically Healthy Forests for All.
Foresters, timber producers, forestry welfare experts, forestry technicians, and forest owners committed to the forestry sector,
Greetings from the Korea Forest Service (KFS)! I am LIM Sang-seop, the 35th Minister of the KFS, appointed on 8 July.
First and foremost, let me convey my deepest gratitude to former Minister NAM Sunghyun, who has devoted himself over the past two years and two months to advancing forest policy and realizing the era of Forestry Renaissance.
I am both grateful and humbled with responsibility as I take office as Minister of the KFS at the juncture where forests are increasingly recognized as crucial assets in addressing the climate crisis and resolving issues of abandoned regions.
Drawing upon my two decades of experience at the KFS, I pledge to exert every effort to successfully implement the national vision for the forestry sector under President Yoon Suk Yeol's leadership, ensuring that our forests become “Economically Valuable and Ecologically Healthy Forests for All.”
In a remarkable feat, over a mere 50 years, the Korean government and its people have achieved the meaningful accomplishment of transforming a once-devastated land into the lush landscape of forests we witness today.
Following this, intensive forest nurturing and systematic forest protection have increased forest resources at one of the fastest rates in the world. Based on these verdant forests, the Republic of Korea has been able to successfully implement forest policies that enhance the quality of life for Korean citizens, such as forest welfare, urban forests, gardens, and more.
However, we cannot rest on our achievements. We are also facing new challenges and demands. In response to the climate crisis, we must ensure public safety and achieve carbon neutrality, while also generating new growth drivers from forest resources to help solve the problems of low growth and deserted regions.
To achieve this, it is essential to lay the groundwork for optimizing our forests' diverse functions, including timber production and the creation of public benefits. In other words, we need to reform the management structure of our forests.
Two-thirds of Korean forests are privately owned, and most of these private forest owners are either absent landowners who do not participate in forest management or small-scale owners, resulting in neglected forests without management.
We need to streamline the management structure to allow foresters to manage these neglected private forests on a larger scale or to bring them under the management of the state-owned forests that generate public benefits.
Based on this structure, economically valuable forested land should be freely and creatively used for the production of timber and forest products, while forested land with high conservation value, such as biodiversity, should be thoroughly protected to maximize their public benefits.
During this process, we will transform forests into healthy forests with high carbon absorption capacity and resilience to forest disasters. Economically, this will create a virtuous cycle with enhanced income for foresters and the timber industry, and more jobs for forestry technicians and welfare professionals.
There is also an urgent need to expand investment in forests. While the annual value of our forests is estimated at 405 trillion won, the government's annual investment in this sector amounts to a mere 0.7% of this value. I will reform the limited green funds, restricted to specific areas due to constrained resources, into a Green Forest Fund. This will diversify funding sources, including private donations, and implement them in areas that are currently underfunded by the government.
Furthermore, public safety must be ensured, including preventing human casualties, by leveraging cutting-edge science and technology to combat forest disasters such as large-scale forest fires, landslides, and forest pests and diseases exacerbated by climate change.
Against this backdrop, I intend to prioritize the following five tasks under the vision of creating “Valuable and Healthy Forests for All” including foresters, citizens, current and future generations, urban and rural communities, and humans and wildlife alike.
First, I will rigorously protect the lives and property of citizens from forest disasters.
Recently, we have experienced unprecedented simultaneous large-scale forest fires and landslides, facing the stark reality of climate change. These forest disasters often cause chain reactions, leading to massive catastrophes that cause loss of lives and property.
To tackle this issue, I will enact the Forest Disaster Management Act to implement integrated management of the three major forest disasters: forest fires, landslides, and forest pests and diseases. This Act will integrate disaster management systems spread across various ministries to ensure that all citizens are safe from forest disasters.
I will benchmark the world's best forest disaster response systems and enhance human and material resources tailored to Korea's mountainous environment.
I will reform the forest fire suppression team into a Forest Disaster Response Team capable of managing both forest fires and landslides on site. This team will tap into efficient investigation, suppression, and recovery personnel trained through specialized education and training.
I will establish a scientific forest monitoring system ranging from forestry satellites, helicopters, and drones to Light Detection And Ranging (LiDAR). I will expand mountain meteorological networks and introduce water level measurement systems within forests to efficiently respond to forest fires and landslides.
To address pine wilt disease, I will minimize the spread of damage by employing an eco-friendly regenerative approach, such as replacing affected areas with tree species other than pine.
Second, I will strengthen the role of forests in addressing climate change.
As achieving carbon neutrality has become a global priority, forests are increasingly recognized as a low-cost, high-efficiency carbon reduction strategy. The Republic of Korea is committed to achieving 11% of its greenhouse gas reduction target through the forestry sector by 2030, necessitating strengthened international recognition of carbon mitigation activities in forestry to achieve these goals.
To make this happen, I will foster young and healthy forests to enhance carbon sequestration. I will identify tree species with high carbon absorption capacity and find new afforestation sites as new sources of carbon sinks, such as urban forests, gardens, and forest biomass energy forests.
After approximately 30 years, our forests tend to decrease in carbon absorption per unit area. To resolve this, I will promote Circular Forest Resource Management centered around profitable forests, fostering forests capable of sustainable timber production with balanced age structures.
In addition, I will revitalize carbon-neutral strategies utilizing forests to alleviate carbon reduction burdens for various domestic and international economic entities. I will promote forest sector investments, such as Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation, and the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests, and enhancement of forest carbon stocks in developing countries (REDD+), and the creation of urban forests and trails in conjunction with corporate ESG management. On top of that, I will improve systems to trade Certified Emission Reductions (CERs) obtained from these initiatives in the market, generating profits for businesses.
I will systematically protect forests to mitigate climate vulnerability. By conserving endangered species such as alpine conifers and enhancing biodiversity within forests, I will boost ecological restoration utilizing natural regeneration forces in degraded forest areas to create cost-effective and environmentally friendly forests.
Moreover, to enhance both forest conservation effectiveness and public benefits, I will introduce a Payment Scheme for Conserving Public Functions of Forests to compensate forest owners for refraining from economically productive activities in forests that provide public benefits.
Third, I will ensure that foresters and others in the forestry sector enjoy a prosperous life from forests, which will become assets for local revitalization.
To begin, I will streamline our forest management structure to enhance the utilization of forested lands. I will expand the Forest Land Pension to purchase privately-owned forests from owners who do not wish to manage them or lack the means to do so, converting them into state-owned forests to secure timber resources and public benefits.
Furthermore, I will introduce a Forest Land Bank Scheme to increase the liquidity of forested lands that are owned by the government, local governments, and private individuals but not currently utilized for forest product production activities. This system aims to effectively enable foresters, people moving to mountainous villages, and others interested in forestry management to utilize these lands for their intended purposes.
Along with this, I will shift forest management and administration from being government-led to being centered around local communities, including forest owners and forestry workers. This change will empower these communities to increase their incomes through autonomy and creativity.
Additionally, I will foster the timber industry to produce high-value timber products such as building materials from domestically produced timber, thereby securing carbon reduction and revitalizing the local economy.
I will expand scientific research and surveys on all types of domestic timber to provide practical information to approximately 6,500 wood industry companies. Furthermore, I will strengthen support for facilities and equipment for wood industry companies using domestic timber to enhance productivity and competitiveness.
I will facilitate the branding of non-timber forest products, such as wild plants, forest fruits, and mushrooms, under the umbrella of K-Forest Food. This initiative will involve expanding R&D, as well as promoting the functional, pharmacological, and environmentally friendly aspects of these products, to generate new demand.
In addition, I will actively promote Integrated Forest Management, a practice that allows for the simultaneous production of timber and non-timber forest products while preserving the original form of the forest.
I will newly industrialize forest welfare services such as recreational forests and forest healing. By harnessing excellent forest resources such as East-West Trail of Korea, Inje Wondaeri Birch Forest, and Pine Forest in Sogwang-ri, Uljin as Mountain Eco-Tourism resources, I will rationalize regulations to contribute to local revitalization.
Fourth, I will nurture forest technicians and forest welfare experts as the main pillars of the tertiary industry in the forestry sector.
Currently, about 60,000 forest technicians and 35,000 forest welfare experts are leading the development of forest-related industries through the implementation of forestry projects and the provision of forest welfare services. However, there is a high dependency on government-implemented projects and low profitability.
To address this, I will develop new business opportunities for forest technicians and forest welfare experts to operate in the private market beyond the public sector, promoting income diversification.
By mechanizing forestry labor, scientizing forestry technology, and industrializing recreational and healing resources, I will create opportunities for young people, as well as human resources from diverse fields such as social sciences and humanities, to work in forests and enhance the social value of forests.
Fifth, I will contribute to the development of the international community by promoting cooperation based on our advanced forest policies.
Just 50 years ago, the Republic of Korea was a country that relied on forestry technology from Germany for reforestation. It has since transformed into a leading forestry nation, and today, Korea shares its exemplary forestry policies and technologies with over 50 countries around the world.
Leveraging various channels, including bilateral and multilateral cooperation, I will expand Green ODA to provide active support to various countries through the transfer of accumulated restoration experience, technology, and financial resources. By participating in the reforestation of degraded areas such as Northeast Asia and North Africa, I will contribute to mitigating climate disasters and yellow dust, as well as improving the lives of local communities.
Furthermore, I will engage in extensive forest cooperation with leading forestry nations such as Germany and Canada, encompassing areas such as forest management, forest disaster management, biodiversity conservation, recreation, and healing. This collaboration will not only help address global challenges but also boost our national reputation, positioning us as a key player in tackling climate issues worldwide.
My Fellow Foresters,
As public officials, we face many challenges, and none of them are easy.
Above all, we must change misconceptions regarding logging for timber production. Countries renowned as clean tourism destinations, such as Switzerland, Austria, Sweden, Finland, New Zealand, Canada, and Japan, all export timber. These countries also initially faced negative public perceptions of logging but wisely overcame them to become major timber-producing nations today.
Learning from their experiences, we must strive to improve public awareness of the importance of timber resources, not only as essential materials for human survival but also as contributors to climate change mitigation.
The KFS has experience and wisdom accumulated from our predecessors. When Korea’s land was denuded, we succeeded in reforesting the entire country. During the 1997 Financial Crisis, we proposed public work projects for forest management, simultaneously revitalizing forests and creating an average of 13,000 jobs annually.
Although reforestation was successful, in times when timber resources were scarce, we created new demands each year for forest welfare, such as forest recreation, healing, and trekking, providing opportunities for 25 million citizens to enjoy the forest.
Behind these successes lie the challenges our generation must overcome. These include misconceptions that forests grow best when left untouched due to the excessive emphasis on forest protection, the lagging mechanization of forestry and outdated infrastructure like forest roads due to reliance on manual labor, and forest owners and forestry workers not receiving fair compensation because of the expansion of state-led forest welfare and public functions.
Despite these numerous challenges, the KFS is filled with a new generation brimming with fresh energy. When the experience and knowledge of our seasoned professionals combine with the creativity and passion of our younger members, the KFS will flourish into a valuable and healthy forest.
In this lush forest where the canopy is adorned with valuable, mature trees and the understory is vibrant with promising young trees, more people will enjoy working together. This forest will be resilient, with oaks providing shade in the summer and sunlight in the winter, and pines remaining green year-round, standing strong against any disaster, pest, and disease.
If all members of the KFS, transcending generational differences, share a vision as one team and create a Great Work Place known for excellence and trust, we will become a greater Service beloved by the public.
Last but not least, I also consider this my last opportunity to serve the forests and the people, and I will commit wholeheartedly. I hope all of you take pride as foresters and make a new leap forward to create “Valuable and Healthy Forests for All.”
Thank you.
Foresters, timber producers, forestry welfare experts, forestry technicians, and forest owners committed to the forestry sector,
Greetings from the Korea Forest Service (KFS)! I am LIM Sang-seop, the 35th Minister of the KFS, appointed on 8 July.
First and foremost, let me convey my deepest gratitude to former Minister NAM Sunghyun, who has devoted himself over the past two years and two months to advancing forest policy and realizing the era of Forestry Renaissance.
I am both grateful and humbled with responsibility as I take office as Minister of the KFS at the juncture where forests are increasingly recognized as crucial assets in addressing the climate crisis and resolving issues of abandoned regions.
Drawing upon my two decades of experience at the KFS, I pledge to exert every effort to successfully implement the national vision for the forestry sector under President Yoon Suk Yeol's leadership, ensuring that our forests become “Economically Valuable and Ecologically Healthy Forests for All.”
In a remarkable feat, over a mere 50 years, the Korean government and its people have achieved the meaningful accomplishment of transforming a once-devastated land into the lush landscape of forests we witness today.
Following this, intensive forest nurturing and systematic forest protection have increased forest resources at one of the fastest rates in the world. Based on these verdant forests, the Republic of Korea has been able to successfully implement forest policies that enhance the quality of life for Korean citizens, such as forest welfare, urban forests, gardens, and more.
However, we cannot rest on our achievements. We are also facing new challenges and demands. In response to the climate crisis, we must ensure public safety and achieve carbon neutrality, while also generating new growth drivers from forest resources to help solve the problems of low growth and deserted regions.
To achieve this, it is essential to lay the groundwork for optimizing our forests' diverse functions, including timber production and the creation of public benefits. In other words, we need to reform the management structure of our forests.
Two-thirds of Korean forests are privately owned, and most of these private forest owners are either absent landowners who do not participate in forest management or small-scale owners, resulting in neglected forests without management.
We need to streamline the management structure to allow foresters to manage these neglected private forests on a larger scale or to bring them under the management of the state-owned forests that generate public benefits.
Based on this structure, economically valuable forested land should be freely and creatively used for the production of timber and forest products, while forested land with high conservation value, such as biodiversity, should be thoroughly protected to maximize their public benefits.
During this process, we will transform forests into healthy forests with high carbon absorption capacity and resilience to forest disasters. Economically, this will create a virtuous cycle with enhanced income for foresters and the timber industry, and more jobs for forestry technicians and welfare professionals.
There is also an urgent need to expand investment in forests. While the annual value of our forests is estimated at 405 trillion won, the government's annual investment in this sector amounts to a mere 0.7% of this value. I will reform the limited green funds, restricted to specific areas due to constrained resources, into a Green Forest Fund. This will diversify funding sources, including private donations, and implement them in areas that are currently underfunded by the government.
Furthermore, public safety must be ensured, including preventing human casualties, by leveraging cutting-edge science and technology to combat forest disasters such as large-scale forest fires, landslides, and forest pests and diseases exacerbated by climate change.
Against this backdrop, I intend to prioritize the following five tasks under the vision of creating “Valuable and Healthy Forests for All” including foresters, citizens, current and future generations, urban and rural communities, and humans and wildlife alike.
First, I will rigorously protect the lives and property of citizens from forest disasters.
Recently, we have experienced unprecedented simultaneous large-scale forest fires and landslides, facing the stark reality of climate change. These forest disasters often cause chain reactions, leading to massive catastrophes that cause loss of lives and property.
To tackle this issue, I will enact the Forest Disaster Management Act to implement integrated management of the three major forest disasters: forest fires, landslides, and forest pests and diseases. This Act will integrate disaster management systems spread across various ministries to ensure that all citizens are safe from forest disasters.
I will benchmark the world's best forest disaster response systems and enhance human and material resources tailored to Korea's mountainous environment.
I will reform the forest fire suppression team into a Forest Disaster Response Team capable of managing both forest fires and landslides on site. This team will tap into efficient investigation, suppression, and recovery personnel trained through specialized education and training.
I will establish a scientific forest monitoring system ranging from forestry satellites, helicopters, and drones to Light Detection And Ranging (LiDAR). I will expand mountain meteorological networks and introduce water level measurement systems within forests to efficiently respond to forest fires and landslides.
To address pine wilt disease, I will minimize the spread of damage by employing an eco-friendly regenerative approach, such as replacing affected areas with tree species other than pine.
Second, I will strengthen the role of forests in addressing climate change.
As achieving carbon neutrality has become a global priority, forests are increasingly recognized as a low-cost, high-efficiency carbon reduction strategy. The Republic of Korea is committed to achieving 11% of its greenhouse gas reduction target through the forestry sector by 2030, necessitating strengthened international recognition of carbon mitigation activities in forestry to achieve these goals.
To make this happen, I will foster young and healthy forests to enhance carbon sequestration. I will identify tree species with high carbon absorption capacity and find new afforestation sites as new sources of carbon sinks, such as urban forests, gardens, and forest biomass energy forests.
After approximately 30 years, our forests tend to decrease in carbon absorption per unit area. To resolve this, I will promote Circular Forest Resource Management centered around profitable forests, fostering forests capable of sustainable timber production with balanced age structures.
In addition, I will revitalize carbon-neutral strategies utilizing forests to alleviate carbon reduction burdens for various domestic and international economic entities. I will promote forest sector investments, such as Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation, and the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests, and enhancement of forest carbon stocks in developing countries (REDD+), and the creation of urban forests and trails in conjunction with corporate ESG management. On top of that, I will improve systems to trade Certified Emission Reductions (CERs) obtained from these initiatives in the market, generating profits for businesses.
I will systematically protect forests to mitigate climate vulnerability. By conserving endangered species such as alpine conifers and enhancing biodiversity within forests, I will boost ecological restoration utilizing natural regeneration forces in degraded forest areas to create cost-effective and environmentally friendly forests.
Moreover, to enhance both forest conservation effectiveness and public benefits, I will introduce a Payment Scheme for Conserving Public Functions of Forests to compensate forest owners for refraining from economically productive activities in forests that provide public benefits.
Third, I will ensure that foresters and others in the forestry sector enjoy a prosperous life from forests, which will become assets for local revitalization.
To begin, I will streamline our forest management structure to enhance the utilization of forested lands. I will expand the Forest Land Pension to purchase privately-owned forests from owners who do not wish to manage them or lack the means to do so, converting them into state-owned forests to secure timber resources and public benefits.
Furthermore, I will introduce a Forest Land Bank Scheme to increase the liquidity of forested lands that are owned by the government, local governments, and private individuals but not currently utilized for forest product production activities. This system aims to effectively enable foresters, people moving to mountainous villages, and others interested in forestry management to utilize these lands for their intended purposes.
Along with this, I will shift forest management and administration from being government-led to being centered around local communities, including forest owners and forestry workers. This change will empower these communities to increase their incomes through autonomy and creativity.
Additionally, I will foster the timber industry to produce high-value timber products such as building materials from domestically produced timber, thereby securing carbon reduction and revitalizing the local economy.
I will expand scientific research and surveys on all types of domestic timber to provide practical information to approximately 6,500 wood industry companies. Furthermore, I will strengthen support for facilities and equipment for wood industry companies using domestic timber to enhance productivity and competitiveness.
I will facilitate the branding of non-timber forest products, such as wild plants, forest fruits, and mushrooms, under the umbrella of K-Forest Food. This initiative will involve expanding R&D, as well as promoting the functional, pharmacological, and environmentally friendly aspects of these products, to generate new demand.
In addition, I will actively promote Integrated Forest Management, a practice that allows for the simultaneous production of timber and non-timber forest products while preserving the original form of the forest.
I will newly industrialize forest welfare services such as recreational forests and forest healing. By harnessing excellent forest resources such as East-West Trail of Korea, Inje Wondaeri Birch Forest, and Pine Forest in Sogwang-ri, Uljin as Mountain Eco-Tourism resources, I will rationalize regulations to contribute to local revitalization.
Fourth, I will nurture forest technicians and forest welfare experts as the main pillars of the tertiary industry in the forestry sector.
Currently, about 60,000 forest technicians and 35,000 forest welfare experts are leading the development of forest-related industries through the implementation of forestry projects and the provision of forest welfare services. However, there is a high dependency on government-implemented projects and low profitability.
To address this, I will develop new business opportunities for forest technicians and forest welfare experts to operate in the private market beyond the public sector, promoting income diversification.
By mechanizing forestry labor, scientizing forestry technology, and industrializing recreational and healing resources, I will create opportunities for young people, as well as human resources from diverse fields such as social sciences and humanities, to work in forests and enhance the social value of forests.
Fifth, I will contribute to the development of the international community by promoting cooperation based on our advanced forest policies.
Just 50 years ago, the Republic of Korea was a country that relied on forestry technology from Germany for reforestation. It has since transformed into a leading forestry nation, and today, Korea shares its exemplary forestry policies and technologies with over 50 countries around the world.
Leveraging various channels, including bilateral and multilateral cooperation, I will expand Green ODA to provide active support to various countries through the transfer of accumulated restoration experience, technology, and financial resources. By participating in the reforestation of degraded areas such as Northeast Asia and North Africa, I will contribute to mitigating climate disasters and yellow dust, as well as improving the lives of local communities.
Furthermore, I will engage in extensive forest cooperation with leading forestry nations such as Germany and Canada, encompassing areas such as forest management, forest disaster management, biodiversity conservation, recreation, and healing. This collaboration will not only help address global challenges but also boost our national reputation, positioning us as a key player in tackling climate issues worldwide.
My Fellow Foresters,
As public officials, we face many challenges, and none of them are easy.
Above all, we must change misconceptions regarding logging for timber production. Countries renowned as clean tourism destinations, such as Switzerland, Austria, Sweden, Finland, New Zealand, Canada, and Japan, all export timber. These countries also initially faced negative public perceptions of logging but wisely overcame them to become major timber-producing nations today.
Learning from their experiences, we must strive to improve public awareness of the importance of timber resources, not only as essential materials for human survival but also as contributors to climate change mitigation.
The KFS has experience and wisdom accumulated from our predecessors. When Korea’s land was denuded, we succeeded in reforesting the entire country. During the 1997 Financial Crisis, we proposed public work projects for forest management, simultaneously revitalizing forests and creating an average of 13,000 jobs annually.
Although reforestation was successful, in times when timber resources were scarce, we created new demands each year for forest welfare, such as forest recreation, healing, and trekking, providing opportunities for 25 million citizens to enjoy the forest.
Behind these successes lie the challenges our generation must overcome. These include misconceptions that forests grow best when left untouched due to the excessive emphasis on forest protection, the lagging mechanization of forestry and outdated infrastructure like forest roads due to reliance on manual labor, and forest owners and forestry workers not receiving fair compensation because of the expansion of state-led forest welfare and public functions.
Despite these numerous challenges, the KFS is filled with a new generation brimming with fresh energy. When the experience and knowledge of our seasoned professionals combine with the creativity and passion of our younger members, the KFS will flourish into a valuable and healthy forest.
In this lush forest where the canopy is adorned with valuable, mature trees and the understory is vibrant with promising young trees, more people will enjoy working together. This forest will be resilient, with oaks providing shade in the summer and sunlight in the winter, and pines remaining green year-round, standing strong against any disaster, pest, and disease.
If all members of the KFS, transcending generational differences, share a vision as one team and create a Great Work Place known for excellence and trust, we will become a greater Service beloved by the public.
Last but not least, I also consider this my last opportunity to serve the forests and the people, and I will commit wholeheartedly. I hope all of you take pride as foresters and make a new leap forward to create “Valuable and Healthy Forests for All.”
Thank you.
8 July, 2024
LIM Sang-seop
35th Minister
Korea Forest Service