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((Short description|Overview of the environment of South Korea))((Multiple issues|
((more citations needed|date=March 2008))
((lead too short|date=September 2009))
))
[[File:A Lake in Byeonsan National Park - panoramio.jpg|thumb|[[Byeonsan-bando National Park]].]]
The '''environment of South Korea''' is the [[natural environment]] of [[South Korea]], which occupies the southern half of the [[Korean peninsula]]. Environment - current issues: air pollution in large cities; water pollution from the discharge of sewage and industrial effluents; acid rain; drift net fishing.

Forests were cleared over many centuries for use as firewood and as building materials. However, they have rebounded since the 1970s as a result of intensive [[reforestation]] efforts. The country's few remaining old-growth forests are protected in nature reserves. South Korea also has twenty [[National parks of South Korea|national parks]]. One of the world's most interesting wildlife sanctuaries has developed in the [[Korean Demilitarized Zone|DMZ]], having been virtually untouched since 1953. The uninhabited zone has become a haven for many kinds of wildlife, particularly migrating birds.

== Natural environment ==
Large mammals such as tigers, bears, and lynx were once abundant throughout the Korean peninsula. However, they have virtually disappeared due to human settlement, loss of forest habitat, and over-hunting. The [[Siberian tiger]] has not been sighted in South Korea since the 1920s. Bears and Wildcats can still be found in the more remote areas, such as [[Jiri-san]] and [[Seorak-san]]. South Korea also has several indigenous species of deer, including the [[roe deer]] and the [[Siberian musk deer]]. Wild boars have been growing common in recent years, thanks to reduced hunting pressure.

The national flower of South Korea is the ''[[Hibiscus syriacus]]'', a species of [[hibiscus]] that blooms continually from July through October. In South Korea, it is known as ''mugunghwa'' (무궁화), meaning "eternal flower". The unofficial national animal is the Tiger, for the peninsula seems like a tiger in a point of view. The unofficial national bird is the [[Korean magpie]], which was chosen in 1964 through a poll organized by the ''[[Hankook Ilbo]]''.<ref>((cite web|url=http://www.kiib.co.kr/news/quickViewArticleView.html?idxno=310236 |title=골칫거리된 까치 |work=Kyeongin Ilbo |date=2006-12-01 |access-date=2006-01-20 |author=박건영 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120803185323/http://www.kiib.co.kr/news/quickViewArticleView.html?idxno=310236 |archive-date=2012-08-03 ))</ref>

==Environmental issues==
((see also|Environmental Conditions of South Korea|Pollution in South Korea))
There are multiple places in South Korea that have erosion. The main places that have erosion in South Korea are in the forests such as Poti Forest, which is known for its soil erosion.

=== Global climate change ===
((Excerpt|Climate change in South Korea|paragraphs=1|file=no))

===Air pollution===
((Main|Air pollution in South Korea))

According to the [[Environmental Performance Index]] 2016, South Korea ranked 173rd out of 180 countries in terms of air quality. More than 50 percent of the population of South Korea is exposed to dangerous levels of [[particulates|fine dust]].<ref>((cite web |title=South Korea near bottom of world survey of air quality |date=May 16, 2016 |publisher=[[The Korea Herald]] |url=http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20160516000741 |quote=South Korea ranked 173rd out of 180 countries in terms of air quality, the Environmental Performance Index 2016 rankings showed Monday. ... A report said that 1.3 billion people exposed to poor air quality lived in East Asian countries, with more than 50 percent of the populations in South Korea and China exposed to dangerous levels of fine dust.))</ref><ref>((Cite web|url=http://epi.yale.edu/country/south-korea|title=South Korea ((!)) Environmental Performance Index - Development|website=epi.yale.edu|language=en|access-date=2017-05-04|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170507191325/http://epi.yale.edu/country/south-korea|archive-date=2017-05-07))</ref>

[[File:2015 PM2.5 Air Pollution Index in Seoul (hourly) wide.png|thumb|900px|center|South Korea near bottom of world survey of air quality((Columns-start))((legend|#9900ac| Very Unhealthy )) ((legend|#ff0000| Unhealthy )) ((legend|#ff7e00| Unhealthy for sensitive groups )) ((Column)) ((legend|#ffff00| Moderate)) ((legend|#00e400|Good)) ((Columns-end))]]

In March 2019, after record-high concentrations of PM 2.5 particles were observed, exposing residents to respiratory and cardiovascular illness, the South Korean government passed emergency legislation in an attempt to reduce the ongoing pollution.<ref>((cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/mar/13/social-disaster-south-korea-brings-in-emergency-laws-to-tackle-dust-pollution|title='Social disaster': South Korea brings in emergency laws to tackle dust pollution|first=Justin|last=McCurry|date=13 March 2019|access-date=13 March 2019|website=Theguardian.com))</ref>

=== Forests and erosion ===
Over the centuries, Korea's inhabitants have cut down most of the ancient Korean forests, with the exception of a few remote, mountainous areas. The disappearance of the forests has been a major cause of [[soil erosion]] and [[flooding]]. Because of successful [[reforestation]] programs and the declining use of firewood as a source of energy since the 1960s, most of South Korea's hills in the 1980s were amply covered with foliage.

=== North Korean dam ===
News that [[North Korea]] was constructing a huge multipurpose dam at the base of [[Mount Kuomintang]] (1,638 meters) north of the [[Korean Demilitarized Zone|DMZ]] caused considerable consternation in South Korea during the mid-1980s . South Korean authorities feared that once completed, a sudden release of the dam's waters into the [[Han River (Korea)|Han River]] during north–south hostilities could flood [[Seoul]] and paralyze the capital.

During 1987, the Kuomintang-San Dam was a major issue that Seoul sought to raise in talks with [[Pyongyang]]. Though Seoul completed the [[Peace Dam]] on the [[Bu khan River]] to counteract the potential threat of Pyongyang's dam project before the [[1988 Summer Olympics|1988 Olympics]], the North Korean project apparently still was in its initial stages of construction in 1990. Construction was suspended on the dam until 1995. The second phase of construction was completed in October 2000.

=== Animal welfare and rights ===
((Main|Animal welfare and rights in South Korea))

South Korea's animal welfare laws are weak by international standards,<ref name="apikorea">((cite web |url=http://api.worldanimalprotection.org/country/korea |title=Korea |author=World Animal Protection |date=November 2, 2014 |access-date=May 8, 2016))</ref> and ethical [[vegetarianism]] and [[veganism]] appear to be rare.<ref name="koreanet">((cite web |url=http://www.korea.net/NewsFocus/Society/view?articleId=103026 |title=Going vegetarian in Korea |author=Jon Dunbar |date=October 11, 2012 |access-date=May 9, 2016))</ref><ref name="bae">((cite web |url=http://travel.cnn.com/seoul/eat/7-restaurant-options-seoul-herbivore-868953/ |title=Best 7 restaurants for the Seoul herbivore |author=Hannah Bae |date=June 30, 2011 |access-date=May 9, 2016))</ref> There is a handful of animal welfare and rights organisations working in South Korea, which appear to be focused largely on the welfare of companion animals and the [[dog meat]] trade.<ref name="britannica">((cite web |url=http://advocacy.britannica.com/blog/advocacy/2008/11/712/ |title=The South Korean Animal Welfare Movement Takes Root |date=November 10, 2008 |access-date=May 8, 2016))</ref><ref name="shim">((cite web |url=http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2015/09/08/New-attitudes-toward-dogs-and-meat-drive-animal-activism-in-South-Korea/5841440989281/ |title=New attitudes toward dogs and meat drive animal activism in South Korea |author=Elizabeth Shim |date=September 8, 2015 |access-date=May 10, 2016))</ref>

=== Other issues ===
City [[sanitary sewer|sewer]] systems are overtaxed.<ref>((Cite web |title=공공하수도시설 사용 않는 주민에게도 하수도 요금 부과하는 잘못된 관행 개선된다 |url=https://www.korea.kr/news/pressReleaseView.do?newsId=156331514 |access-date=2022-09-25 |website=대한민국 정책브리핑 |language=ko))</ref> Other issues include [[water pollution]] from sewer discharge and industrial effluents, [[acid rain]], [[drift net]] fishing, and wasteful packaging of consumer goods.<ref>((Cite web |title=원인 < 환경오염 < 환경관 < 민물고기연구센터 < 해양수산 메인 |url=https://www.gb.go.kr/Main/open_contents/section/marinefishery/page.do?mnu_uid=3989& |access-date=2022-09-25 |website=www.gb.go.kr))</ref> Transboundary [[pollution]] concerns spurred the creation of a [http://www.env.go.jp/en/jeq/v004-01.pdf joint commission] among South Korea, Japan, and China to address environmental problems. South Korea is the second-largest consumer of [[ozone layer|ozone]]-depleting [[chlorofluorocarbons]].<ref>((cite web|url=http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/profiles/South_Korea.pdf|title=About this Collection - Country Studies|website=Lcweb2.loc.gov|access-date=16 March 2018))</ref>

South Korea had a 2018 [[Forest Landscape Integrity Index]] mean score of 6.02/10, ranking it 87th globally out of 172 countries.<ref name="FLII-Supplementary">((cite journal|last1=Grantham|first1=H. S.|last2=Duncan|first2=A.|last3=Evans|first3=T. D.|last4=Jones|first4=K. R.|last5=Beyer|first5=H. L.|last6=Schuster|first6=R.|last7=Walston|first7=J.|last8=Ray|first8=J. C.|last9=Robinson|first9=J. G.|last10=Callow|first10=M.|last11=Clements|first11=T.|last12=Costa|first12=H. M.|last13=DeGemmis|first13=A.|last14=Elsen|first14=P. R.|last15=Ervin|first15=J.|last16=Franco|first16=P.|last17=Goldman|first17=E.|last18=Goetz|first18=S.|last19=Hansen|first19=A.|last20=Hofsvang|first20=E.|last21=Jantz|first21=P.|last22=Jupiter|first22=S.|last23=Kang|first23=A.|last24=Langhammer|first24=P.|last25=Laurance|first25=W. F.|last26=Lieberman|first26=S.|last27=Linkie|first27=M.|last28=Malhi|first28=Y.|last29=Maxwell|first29=S.|last30=Mendez|first30=M.|last31=Mittermeier|first31=R.|last32=Murray|first32=N. J.|last33=Possingham|first33=H.|last34=Radachowsky|first34=J.|last35=Saatchi|first35=S.|last36=Samper|first36=C.|last37=Silverman|first37=J.|last38=Shapiro|first38=A.|last39=Strassburg|first39=B.|last40=Stevens|first40=T.|last41=Stokes|first41=E.|last42=Taylor|first42=R.|last43=Tear|first43=T.|last44=Tizard|first44=R.|last45=Venter|first45=O.|last46=Visconti|first46=P.|last47=Wang|first47=S.|last48=Watson|first48=J. E. M.|title=Anthropogenic modification of forests means only 40% of remaining forests have high ecosystem integrity - Supplementary Material|journal=Nature Communications|volume=11|issue=1|year=2020|page=5978|issn=2041-1723|doi=10.1038/s41467-020-19493-3|pmid=33293507|pmc=7723057|doi-access=free))</ref>

== See also ==
*[[Green Party Korea]]
*[[Korea Federation for Environmental Movements]]
*[[Onsan illness]]

==References==
((Reflist))

==External links==
* [http://kfem.or.kr Korea Federation for Environmental Movements]
* [http://eng.me.go.kr Ministry of Environment South Korea]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070312091934/http://nk.chosun.com/english/news/news.html?ACT=detail&cat=10&res_id=6083 Information on the Mt. Kumgang dam]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070704070635/http://www.iges.or.jp/en/ue/activity/mega-city/article/htm/far41.htm Comparative Study] of [[Beijing]], [[Seoul]], [[Tokyo]] and [[Shanghai]]
((Asia in topic|Environment of))
((Asia in topic|Environmental issues in))
* http://www.indexmundi.com/south_korea/environment_current_issues.html((Country study))

((DEFAULTSORT:Environment Of South Korea))
[[Category:Environment of South Korea| ]]
[[Category:Environmental issues in South Korea]]

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