남북한 산림 분야 교류 협력 성과와 협력 과제

Abstract

According to a satellite image analysis by the Korea Forest Service in 2018, the deforestation site in North Korea was 2.62 million ha, and according to recent studies, at least 1.6 million ha of North Korea's forests need to be restored and as many as 3 million ha. This suggests that forest devastation is seriously progressing in North Korea. The reason for the devastation of forests in North Korea was the overlapping energy shortage, food shortage, economic shortage, and changing forests to agricultural land to solve food problems led to forest destruction, making it difficult to supply water from forests and losing fertility to prevent soil leakage. And indiscriminately cutting down trees to replace fuel or to use them as raw materials caused floods and landslides. This in turn weakened agricultural productivity, leading to a poverty trap. The problem of restoring North Korea's devastated forests is a complex problem connected to North Korea's food, energy, and economy. If North Korea restores devastated forests, it can play a positive role in preventing global warming, and the process of forest restoration can lead to strained inter-Korean relations peacefully because it is possible to maintain long-term cooperation based on trust. In terms of international relations, where economic sanctions against North Korea continue due to the prolonged North Korean nuclear issue, this forest cooperation is not subject to sanctions against North Korea that can be imposed on North Korea, so it is currently an effective way to maintain peace. First, this paper intends to consider the current status of forest devastation and forest policy in North Korea based on various data and raise the need for inter-Korean exchange and cooperation. Second, we examine the achievements of exchange and cooperation in the forest sector between the two Koreans. Third, I would like to present plans and tasks for exchange and cooperation in the forest field between the two Koreans