South Korea to focus on conservation of marine environment, biodiversity

Seoul, July 2 (IANS) South Korea will focus on the conservation of marine environment and biodiversity as the Asian economy cannot keep growing without a preserved environment, the country’s oceans and fisheries minister said on Tuesday.

“Without a preserved environment, it’s not easy to build economic wealth. Unless the environment for dwelling, forest and agriculture, as well as the marine environment, are properly preserved, the balance will be broken,” Minister of Oceans and Fisheries Kang Do-hyung told a press conference with foreign correspondents in Seoul, reported Xinhua news agency.

Kang vowed to make his best efforts to conserve the marine environment and ecosystem diversity as biodiversity restoration and carbon dioxide reduction cannot be achieved without a preserved ocean.

To conserve marine biodiversity, the ministry planned to designate 30 per cent of the country’s ocean as protected marine areas while pushing for enactment of the Protected Marine Area Act.

It was in line with the global trend, in which the