Northeast Asia: Korea

(1) International/Regional Governance

Korea continued its effort to establish or improve regional and international governance in the protection and sustainable use of the environment and natural resources. First, several international documents were signed or entered into force for Korea:

• Amendment to Annexes of the 1996 Protocol to the 1972 Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and other Matter (15 January);

• Framework Agreement for the Cooperation on Climate Change between the Government of the Republic of Korea and the Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan (5 April);

• Amendment to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, which was adopted on 15 October 2016 (19 April);

• Framework Agreement for the Cooperation on Climate Change between the Government of the Republic of Korea and the Government of Mongolia (11 June);

• Framework Agreement for the Cooperation on Climate Change between the Government of the Republic of Korea and the Government of the Gabonese Republic (14 June);

• Memorandum of Understanding for the Cooperation in the Green Transition between the Korean Ministry of Environment and Oman Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (27 August); and

• Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (signed on 31 October, not in force).

Second, Korea hosted or attended international conferences to reinforce bilateral, regional, or global cooperation:

• Korea–Saudi Arabia Environment Ministers Meeting held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on 14 May;

• Korea–United Nations Environment Program Ministerial Meeting held in Seoul, Korea, on 1 September;

• The Workshop for the Capacity-Building of Transparency System in the Paris Agreement held in Seoul, Korea, on 11–13 September. Korea hosted the Workshop with the Partnership on Transparency in the Paris Agreement and the Capacity-Building Initiative for Transparency: Global Support Program;

• 2023 Sustainable Development Goal Summit held in New York on 18–19 September. The Korean representative informed participants that the Korean government has been working to expand the scale of official development aid (ODA) to the world’s ‘top ten levels’ in line with its economic status and promised to actively participate in efforts to implement the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals;

• The eighteenth Seoul Initiative Forum for Coping with Climate Change held in Seoul, Korea, on 25–27 October;

• The twelfth General Assembly and sixteenth Executive Council Meeting of the Global Green Growth Institute held in Incheon, Korea, on 26 October. The Korean representative emphasized that the Korean government is strengthening its contribution to low-carbon green growth in the international community by increasing green ODA to serve as a ‘green ladder’ for developing countries, such as increasing core contributions to the Institute to $12 million in 2023;

• The twentieth Korea–China–Japan Tripartite Meeting of Presidents of the Environment Research Institutions held in Tokyo, Japan, on 31 October;

• The fifteenth Korea–Vietnam Annual Environment Ministers Meeting held in Hanoi, Vietnam, on 1 November. The Korean minister agreed to support the Vietnamese legislation of subordinate regulations of local water resources laws and strengthen cooperation in expanding international greenhouse gas reduction projects and exchanging green technologies; and

• The twenty-fourth Meeting of the Tripartite Environment Ministers Meeting among Korea, China, and Japan, held in Nagoya, Japan, on 3–4 November.

Third, Korea continued to provide education and training programs for environmental experts and officials from developing countries in various areas to assist their capacity-building in the protection of the environment. The Workshop on Optimal Applicable Techniques for Comprehensive Management of Environment for Vietnamese officials held in Hanoi, Vietnam, on 5–6 October is one example.

(2) Climate Change and Air Pollution

Korea continued to make its effort to contribute to the improvement of regional or global responses to climate change and air pollution. First, in addition to the above-mentioned three framework agreements on climate change with Uzbekistan, Mongolia, and Gabon, two memorandums of understanding (MOUs) on air pollution and climate change were concluded:

• MOU on the Cooperation for the Verification of Geostationary Environment Monitoring Spectrometer Materials and Joint Investigation of Air Quality of Asia Region between the Korean National Institute of Environmental Research and National Aeronautics and Space Administration of the United States (28 August); and

• MOU between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea and the Department of the Environment of Canada concerning Cooperation on Climate Change (3 December). Under the MOU, the parties will exchange related information, techniques, and experts for coping with climate change and implement joint cooperative projects and researches.

Second, the Korean president proposed the Carbon-Free Energy (CFE) initiative for the acceleration of decarbonization in the area of energy in his address at the United National General Assembly on 20 September. He also requested that countries, international organizations, and enterprises participate in the establishment of an international CFE alliance. Furthermore, he emphasized expanding global cooperation to promote carbon-free energy utilization and technology development and investment, carbon-free energy certification system, international standardization, and the expansion of international joint research.

Third, at the twenty-fourth Tripartite Environment Ministers Meeting, the Korean minister agreed to begin joint research for the decreasing of damage from transfrontier movement of yellow sand dust with Mongolia, which is the main source of the yellow sand dust, and suggested that the issue be included on the agenda of the Tripartite Summit Meeting.

Fourth, Korea hosted or participated in numerous related international conferences:

• the Inclusive Forum on Carbon Mitigation Approaches, held in Paris, France, on 9–10 February;

• the twenty-eighth Session of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, held in Interlaken, Switzerland, on 13–19 March;

• the 2023 Partnering for Green Growth and the Global Goals 2030 Colombia Summit Conference, held in Bogota, Colombia, on 22–23 April. The Korean representative emphasized that governments, private sectors, and civil societies must respond jointly with urgency, and in particular, innovative public–private cooperation projects should be expanded through the Partnering for Green Growth platform in order to overcome the climate crisis;

• the 2023 Petersburg Climate Dialogue, held in Berlin, Germany, on May 2–3;

• the second European Union–Indo-Pacific Ministerial Forum, held in Stockholm, Sweden, on 13 May. At the Forum, the Korean representative said that the Korean government will implement Korea’s 2030 nationally determined contribution by year and by sector based on the basic national carbon neutralization and green growth plan announced in April;

• the seventy-ninth Session of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, held in Bangkok, Thailand, on 13–19 May. The Korean representative promised to expand ODA for climate action of developing countries, especially small island countries in the region that have been jeopardized severely by climate change;

• the 2030 International Expo for Climate Industry, held in Busan, Korea, on 23 May;

• the fifty-eighth Session of the Subsidiary Bodies for Scientific and Technological Advice, held in Bonn, Germany, on 5–15 June;

• the second Korea–Multilateral Development Banks Forum for Green Cooperation, held in Seoul, Korea, on 7 June;

• the fifth Korea–China Annual Meeting of Environment Ministers, held online on June 29. The Korean Minister said that even though both countries’ ultrafine dust concentrations are improving, the efforts of the two countries to decease it should be strengthened. The two ministers discussed ways to cooperate in response to climate change at a time when the seriousness of the climate crisis is increasing and carbon neutrality is emerging as a new world order. In addition, as the two countries suffer from yellow dust, they sought to work with neighbouring countries, such as Mongolia, to share their endeavours to resolve the yellow dust problem—a common issue in Northeast Asia. Finally, the two ministers agreed on the second Korea–China Environmental Cooperation Plan (2023–27) following the end of the first Korea–China Environmental Cooperation Plan (2018–22) to continue efforts to resolve the ultrafine dust problem;

• the third Korea–Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Dialogue on Environment and Climate Change, held in Bogor, Indonesia, on 2 August. Parties discussed environment and climate change-related issues such as air pollution, forests, the marine environment, the implementation of the Paris Agreement, carbon neutralization, and so on. Both parties agreed to expand their cooperative relationship, especially in the reduction of methane emissions based on the Partnership for Asian–Korea Methane Action, which was established under the agreement at the Korea–ASEAN Ministers of Foreign Affairs Meeting on 13 July;

• the 2023 G20 Ministers of Environment and Climate Meeting, held in Chennai, India, on 28 July;

• the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Adaptation Week, held in Incheon, Korea, on 28 August–1 September;

• the Africa Climate Summit, held in Nairobi, Kenya, on 4–6 September;

• the third International Forum on the Response to the Transfrontier Air Pollution, held in Seoul on 8 September. At the Forum, the participants discussed the situation of air pollution in Northeast Asia and how to cope with the situation; the implications and lessons of Europe’s scientific and data-driven air pollution response cases for Northeast Asia; and the common convenience of joint response to climate change and air pollution. The speaker from the Korean government introduced its three-year comprehensive action plan to decrease the concentration of ultrafine particles to 35 percent of 2016 levels by 2024 and revealed its intention to continue the science-based policy cooperation to joint response to the issue of regional trans-frontier air pollution through North-East Asia Clean Air Partnership;

• the Korea–Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development Joint Workshop for the Assessment of the Joint Study on the Effect of Air Pollution Reduction Policy, held in Seoul, Korea, on 8 September;

• the International Conference for the Response to the Sand Particle Storm, held in Teheran, Iran, on 9–10 September;

• the Climate Ambition Summit 2023, held in New York on 20 September;

• the Ministerial Meeting for the Global Stocktake, held in New York on 21 September;

• the first Climate Change Dialogue between Korea and Canada, held in Ottawa, Canada, on 26 September. The two parties agreed to cooperate in the areas of climate change negotiations, development of climate change techniques, the management of forest fires, decarbonization strategies, the implementation of nationally determined contributions, and so on. The Korean representative urged Canada to participate in the Carbon Free Alliance that was proposed by the Korean president at the United Nations General Assembly presentation as a platform for the CFE initiative in September;

• the first Climate Change Dialogue between Korea and Malaysia, held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on 4 October. Similar issues as the dialogue with Canada were discussed, except for cooperation in the area of hydrogen and carbon capture, utilization, and storage;

• the fifth Asia-Pacific Environment Ministers Conference, held in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on 5 October. At the conference, the Korean representative emphasized the implementation of specific goals to solve the three major crises of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution. He also revealed that the Korean government will actively support developing countries’ efforts to preserve the environment as a ‘green ladder’ for the countries in the Asia-Pacific region;

• the twenty-sixth High-level Meeting of the North-East Asian Sub-regional Programme for Environmental Cooperation, held in Seoul, Korea, on 23–24 November. At the conference, a Commemorative Statement on Promoting Environmental Cooperation in North-East Asia was adopted;

• the twenty-eighth Conference of the Parties (COP-28) of the UNFCCC, held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), on 30 November–13 December. At the World Climate Action Summit, which was held simultaneously with the COP-28 meeting, the Korean representative revealed Korea’s intention to be a ‘green ladder’ for the developing countries that have been damaged by climate change. He also suggested three responsive actions for coping with climate change: (i) actively reflecting the results of first global stock take in each party’s climate action; (ii) strengthening the international community’s sustainable and inclusive climate response; and (iii) participating in the Korea-proposed CFE initiative. At COP-28, Korea participated in the five Initiatives to show its active will for climate change, such as the COP-28 Global Renewables & Energy Efficiency Pledge, the COP-28 Declaration of Intent on Mutual Recognition of Certification Schemes for Renewable and Low-Carbon Hydrogen and Derivatives, and the COP-28 UAE Declaration on Sustainable Agriculture, Resilient Food Systems, and Climate Action; and

• the seventh High-level Meeting between the Korean Ministry of Environment and the Chinese Ministry of Environment, held in Beijing, China, on 20 December.

Fifth, Korean government made efforts to draft an implementation plan to achieve carbon reduction goals. First, the Korean government announced the draft plan for the First National Carbon Neutralization and Green Growth Basic Plan for 2023–42 and announced detailed implementation plans to achieve the 2030 national greenhouse gas reduction target (40 percent reduction compared to 2018) on 21 March. Second, the Korean Ministry of Environment made a proposal to revitalize the carbon emission trade market in September. After introducing the emission trade market in 2015, the quantity of trade increased from 5.66 million tons (2015) to 60.54 million tons (August 2023). However, the price of emissions rights decreased from 7,860 Korean won in 2015 to 7,020 Korean won in July 2023, and the variability of price has been too high to attract investment for the reduction of carbon emission from related industries. The proposal suggested several improvements, such as the introduction of a consignment sale of emissions rights to expand participants in the market and to strengthen the convenience of trade, the introduction of a futures market of emissions rights and financial products connected with emission, and so on. Third, the Korean government revised the Third National Climate Change Adaptation Measures for 2021–25 to strengthen adaptation policies, such as the scientification of climate monitoring and prediction systems and the improvement of public access to adaptation information; the improvement of social infrastructure reflecting future climate risks; and strengthening forecast and warning of climate disasters and minimizing damage to vulnerable groups.

Sixth, Korea provided a training program for experts on greenhouse gas from developing countries for three weeks from 10 July. The program was to improve participating countries’ capacity-building, and twenty-seven experts from twenty-seven countries took part in the program. At the meeting of the Korean Minister for Foreign Affairs with the Secretary General of the Global Climate Fund on 13 September, the Korean government promised to contribute $300 million to the fund in the second contribution period (2024–27).

Seventh, the Act on Surveillance and Forecast of Weather and Climate Change was legislated on 6 October. Under the act, scientific surveillance and forecasting of climate change will be strengthened and its result can be used to cope with climate change more efficiently.

(3) Energy

In the area of energy, first, as opposed to the former liberal administration, which pursued the policy to denounce nuclear energy, the current conservative government strengthened nuclear in its energy policy and expanded the share of nuclear power in the total energy mix. The government believes that stable nuclear power, rather than renewable energy, is essential to achieving its 2050 carbon neutralization target. Second, Korea attended or hosted numerous related international conferences:

• the fifth Korea–EU Working Group Meeting on Energy, Environment and Climate Change, held in Brussels, Belgium, on 30 January;

• the ninth Korea–United States Energy Security Dialogue, held in Seoul, Korea, on 17 March. The two sides diagnosed the global energy crisis triggered by the Ukraine crisis and discussed various cooperation measures to improve energy security and transition to non-carbon energy;

• the Roundtable for Energy Transition in South East Asia, held in Seoul, Korea, on 30 May. The Korean representative stressed that the transition to non-carbon energy is an investment for the future and expressed hope that the Korean government will expand cooperation in future industries such as electric vehicles, batteries, and renewable energy to support ASEAN countries’ decarbonization policies through the Korea–ASEAN Solidarity Initiative, an ASEAN-specific regional policy announced by the Korean government in November last year;

• the fifth Korea–UAE High-level Consultative Meeting on Nuclear Power, held in Seoul, Korea, on 28 July. The Korean representative said that the high-level council had to produce practical results and seek new areas of cooperation, such as the development of small and medium-sized reactors and future nuclear reactor to achieve the goal of strengthening nuclear cooperation; and

• the twelfth Korea–International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) High-level Policy Consultation Meeting, held in Seoul, Korea, on 8 November. The Korean representative explained that Korea has been contributing to the IAEA, including support for strengthening member states’ capacity as a leading country in the field of international non-proliferation.

(4) Biodiversity

In the area of biodiversity, first, Korea designated some wetlands as national protected wetlands for the conservation of biodiversity, including Gwongpo Bay mudflat (Gaetbul, 23 October), the Ojori marsh (22 December), the Gap river wetland on (5 June), and the Igily wetland (29 December). Seventeen marshes were designated as national protected wetlands in marine areas and thirty-two inland wetlands were designated as national protected wetlands under the Act on Protection of Wetlands.

Second, on 15 May, Korea renewed an MOU on the Mutual Cooperation for the Conservation of Marsh in regard to the Wadden Sea with three countries: Germany, the Netherlands, and Denmark. Under the MOU, the two sides will conduct joint scientific surveys, educational and academic workshops, symposiums, and exchange experts related to the mudflats, which is on the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s World Heritage List. They will cooperate on strengthening the resilience of the mudflats ecosystem, reducing marine waste pollution on the mudflats, and preparing a sustainable tourism model through community participation.

Third, Korea provided assistance to several developing countries for the conservation and protection of natural resources. First, Korea worked jointly with Micronesia to research 272 pilot vascular plant species of the Cosera region and published an illustrated plant book on 30 May. Second, Korea provided ODA to Ecuador to implement a project for the Establishment of the National Genetic Resources Data Bank and capacity-building for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in Ecuador and held a consultative meeting for the smooth implementation of the project on 23 November. In addition, Korea provided a training program on the protection of biodiversity and sustainable use of genetic resources for ten Ecuadorian officials and experts on 17 April–1 May.

Fourth, the Korean National Institute for Wild Animal Decease Control concluded MOUs with the Yamasina Research Institute for Birds of Japan and Izmi City Authority to make a joint response to Avian Influenza, which has been threatening migratory birds, including the hooded crane, one of the endangered species.

(5) Marine Pollution, Marine Resources, and Clean Waters

In the area of marine pollution, marine resources, and clean water, first, Korea adopted and signed or concluded three international documents:

• Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (signed on 31 October). Before and after adopting and signing the document, the Korean government rearranged related domestic laws and regulations to adapt to the agreement and endeavoured to distribute information to related peoples and industries;

• Letter of Intent for the Mutual Cooperation in Marine Affairs between Korea and the United Kingdom on 27 November. The letter includes decarbonization in international shipping and decarbonized shipping route construction as cooperation sectors; and

• Comprehensive Agreement on Trust Fund for the Sustainable Maritime Transport Cooperation with International Maritime Organization (IMO) on 28 November. Under the agreement, Korea committed to provide approximately $6 million for aid projects for IMO and developing countries.

Second, Korea actively hosted or attended related international conferences:

• the eighth Our Ocean Conference, held in Panama City, Panama, on 2–3 March. At the conference, the Korean representative announced commitments on projects to strengthen the capacity to preserve and manage marine protected areas for Asian countries, multilateral cooperation projects to reduce marine waste for Southeast Asian countries, and fishing gear supply projects to prevent ghost fishing;

• the seventh Meeting of General Assembly of North Pacific Fisheries Commission, held in Sapporo, Japan, on 17–24 March. Korea submitted a joint proposal with the United States and Canada to establish climate change as the committee’s permanent agenda;

• the twenty-seventh Meeting of the General Assembly of Indian Ocean Tuna Commission, held in Mauritius on 8–12 May. Korea submitted a proposal for a tuna catch device regulation system to continue discussions on protecting marine ecosystem and sustainable tuna fishing, and in particular, Korea’s joint initiative with the EU, Maldives, and Australia for the whale protection and reduction of seabird by-catch was adopted;

• the seventh Korea–United States Marine Shipping Cooperation Conference, held in Busan, Korea, on 17 August. The two parties discussed decarbonization in the shipping industry;

• the thirteenth Korea–Australia Conference on Maritime Safety Policy, held in Sydney, Australia, on 4 September. In order to continue its leading role in the decarbonization trend in the international shipping sector, Korea proposed a new Korea–Australia green shipping route construction to Australia;

• the second Korea–Philippines Maritime Dialogue, held in Manila on 12 October. At the maritime environment session of the dialogue, the parties agreed to cooperate in the management of marine litter;

• the twenty-fifth Meeting of the Korea–China Joint Commission on Fisheries, held in Kangneung, Korea, on 2 November. The two countries agreed to require all Chinese fishing vessels engaged in fishing activities in Korea’s exclusive economic zone to install and operate an automatic identification device from 1 May 2024;

• the Korea–Malta Ministerial Meeting, held in Seoul, Korea, on 6 November;

• the eighth Korea–Singapore Conference for the Policy on Maritime Safety, held in Busan, Korea, on 7 November. At this meeting, the two countries paid attention to the recent acceleration of international carbon regulations and sought joint countermeasures to reflect their positions in discussing international standards related to additional regulations, such as the fuel oil standard system and the greenhouse gas price system in the future. In addition, as major container port operators, the two countries shared the current status of green shipping routes being pursued, and agreed to lead the flow of carbon-free routes linking major ports around the world;

• the twenty-eighth Meeting of the General Assembly of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas, held in New Cairo, Egypt, on 11–21 November. Noting that no whale protection measures have been established within the commission, Korea proposed a resolution calling for whale protection measures to prevent whale tangle problems during purse seine fishery and the resolution was adopted unanimously by member states;

• the twentieth Meeting of the General Assembly of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission, held in Cook Islands on 4–8 December; and

• the High-level Symposium on the Decarbonization Strategy in International Shipping in Asia, held in Busan, Korea, on 5–6 April. Participants discussed how to respond to the IMO’s 2050 carbon neutralization goal for international shipping, and Korea revealed the possibility of providing ODA for regional countries to respond to the goal.

Third, the Korean Ministry of Marine Affairs designated twenty-three climate change indicating species including Caulerpa okamurae and Stenopus hispidus, that can identify climate change through continuous investigation and observation due to relatively clear changes in habitat and distribution range, breeding period, and population due to rising seawater temperature.

Fourth, Korea continued to endeavour to suppress illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing practices by Chinese fishing boats in the sea under Korean marine jurisdiction. First, Korea held the Korea–China Working-level Meeting on IUU Fishing on June 7–9 and the High-level Meeting on IUU fishing in Seoul, Korea, on 21 December. The two parties agreed that Chinese fishing boats suspected of operating in North Korean waters in the East Sea among Chinese fishing boats passing through Korean territorial waters are required to conduct a communication search and provide the information to the Chinese side quickly, and the Chinese side is required to notify the Korean related authority of the results of the action after the investigation.

Fifth, the conflict between Korea and Japan in regard to the discharge of radioactive waters originating from the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident of 2011, which had been a vexing problem to Korea, was resolved in the end at the Korea–Japan summit meeting on 7 May. The two parties agreed to send a Korean investigation team to verify Japan’s contaminated water emission plan and to resolve it in respect of the verification results of the IAEA Monitoring Task Force, in which one Korean scientist participated. A Korean investigation team was sent and conducted on-site verification for six days (21–6 May).

Sixth, Korea held a joint training program for experts on blue carbon with Indonesia on 8–15 January and sought ODA projects for blue carbon. Korea also provided a training program for women experts on marine biological resources from developing countries including Fiji, Ecuador, and Cote D’Ivoire on 15–24 October.

Seventh, in the area of management of clean water, Korea hosted or attended three related international meetings. First, Korea hosted the International Ware Week in Korea in Deagu on 6–9 December. Second, Korea attended the United Nations Water Conference held in New York on 23 March. Third, Korea hosted the second Mekong International Forum on Clean Water held in Incheon, Korea. Participating countries discussed the need for digital water management to cope with the climate crisis, practical cooperation measures to solve water problems in the Mekong region, and the discovery of new projects.

(6) Hazardous Substances and Wastes

In the area of hazardous substances and wastes, first, on 15 January, an international document entered into force for Korea: Amendment to Annexes of the 1996 Protocol to the 1972 Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter (London Convention).

Second, Korea participated in the second and third Sessions of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution to develop an international legally binding instrument, including in the marine environment, held in Paris, France, on 29 May–2 June, and Nairobi, Kenya, on 13–19 November. The Korean government has led the circular economy by devising measures to reduce disposable products based on alternative services, recycling fully, and fostering renewable raw materials and substitute industries. At the sessions, the Korean delegation emphasized the need for a transition to a circular economy, measures to prevent plastic pollution based on scientific evidence, and a national implementation plan considering the practical implementation of each country. Korea also attended COP-46 of the London Convention the seventeenth Meeting of the Scientific Group of the London Protocol held in Casa Blanca, Morocco, on 13–17 March.

Third, domestically, the Act on Recycling of Resources was amended to strengthen the declining use of plastic products to cope with the negotiating international conference for the adoption of an international agreement on the restrictive regulation of plastic products.

(7) Polar Regions

First, in the area of the Arctic, Korea attended the Annual Meeting of the Arctic Economic Council held in Norway on 10 May. At the meeting, Korea concluded an MOU on the sustainable development of the Arctic. Second, Korea hosted COP-2 of the Central Arctic Ocean Fisheries Agreement held in Incheon, Korea, on 12–14 June. Korea played an active role in the adoption of the Joint Program of Scientific Research and Monitoring on Marine Biological Resources and Ecosystems in Central Arctic Ocean Pollution. Third, Korea attended the Arctic Circle Assembly held in Reykjavik, Iceland, on 19–21 October. Korea also held the eighth Arctic Partnership Week in Busan, Korea, on 10–12 December.

Second, in the area of the Antarctic, Korea Attended the forty-second Annual Meeting of the Commission on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources held in Hobart, Australia, on 16–27 October. Korea participated in the submission of a proposal of the East Antarctica Sea and the Weddell Sea Marine Reserve Designation Proposal as a co-sponsor and proposed a promotion plan for the management of lost fishing gear in the Antarctic Ocean with New Zealand.