The Korea Forest Service successfully reinforced its partnership with ASEAN countries in the forestry sector at a two-day Korea-ASEAN Special Ministerial Meeting on Forestry that started Wednesday in Busan.

“It was a good opportunity for Korea to share its forestry experiences with ASEAN countries, Korea’s important economic and trading partners,” Shin Won-sop, minister of the Korea Forest Service, told The Korea Herald in an email interview.

ASEAN countries together make up Korea’s second-largest trading partner, and this year also marks the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations with the group.

“We have also strengthened the ASEAN-Korea Forest Cooperation, a regional cooperation mechanism in the forest sector, which was agreed in 2012 in a bid to improve forestry cooperation among the member nations,” Shin said. 

During the conference, related ministers and high officials of Korea and ASEAN countries have discussed diverse long-term projects and regional cooperation systems on forest disasters such as forest fires.

The member nations also adopted the so-called Busan Forestry Declaration, aimed at improving cooperation between Korea and ASEAN countries.

“The declaration includes strengthening partnerships, gaining a foothold for stronger partnerships, making joint responses to forest disaster, and expanding member nations to include Asian countries,” the chief said.

The ASEAN-Korea Forest Cooperation is comprised of the 10 ASEAN nations along with South Korea, and it plans to include other Asian nations such as Central Asia and Mongolia.

The Korea Forest Service, a government agency specializing in the nation’s forestry, has also been strengthening bilateral partnerships with other nations on forestry. It has so far partnered with 29 nations in Asia, Africa and the Americas.

“Through these partnerships, we have helped developing nations recover waste lands, develop forest resources and prevent desertification,” Shin said.

“We also plan to improve international cooperation on forest welfare and sustainable forestry management,” he said.

The potential value of ASEAN countries in forestry is huge, according to the KFS. ASEAN countries currently account for 20 percent of the world’s total tropical forests and 40 percent of species on lands.

“We will continue to share Korea’s best forestation practices and to push ahead with diverse projects with ASEAN nations for climate change, conserving biodiversity, and antidesertification,” he said.

By Shin Ji-hye (shinjh@heraldcorp.com)