LH Signs Wildlife Conservation Agreement with Cheonan City for Endangered Species Protection

Utilizing Ecosystem Conservation Charge Refund Project... First Collaboration Case for Creating Mangkkongi Ecological Park
Providing a Place for Ecological Learning and Experience, Used as an Educational and Resting Space for Citizens

Kim Young-il, Director of LH Project Impact Assessment Department (right), and Kwon Hee-seong, Head of Urban Construction Project Headquarters of Cheonan City, are posing for a commemorative photo after signing the "Endangered Wildlife Conservation Business Agreement" on the 24th.

[Asia Economy Reporter Kangwook Cho] Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH) announced on the 24th that it signed a “Win-Win Business Agreement for the Conservation of Endangered Wildlife Using the Ecosystem Conservation Charge Refund Project” with Cheonan City.

This agreement was made to receive a refund of the ecosystem conservation charge paid by LH to the Ministry of Environment and use it as funding to create an ecological park, the habitat of the endangered species, the Korean narrow-mouth frog (Maengkkongi), which appears during the development project process. The ecosystem conservation charge is a damage charge for the natural environment inevitably damaged by development projects, and developers can receive a refund of up to 50% of the amount paid when restoring the ecosystem.

To create the Maengkkongi Ecological Park, LH, the Korea Ecological Restoration Association, and Cheonan City jointly searched for the project site and established a project plan utilizing a retention basin within the Daehwa-ri Industrial Complex in Cheonan. In particular, LH and Cheonan City focused on differentiating this project from others by establishing a master plan centered on increasing convenience for residents and realizing carbon neutrality from the planning stage.

Through this, LH submitted the Maengkkongi Ecological Park creation project plan to the Ministry of Environment as an ecosystem conservation charge refund project in October last year, and it was selected as a target project last month, with plans to proceed with the project in earnest.

According to this agreement, LH and Cheonan City agreed to mutually cooperate on △ the conservation of endangered wildlife species that need to be relocated due to development projects △ the creation of ecological parks as alternative habitats △ and other administrative support matters.

The two organizations plan to start construction of the Maengkkongi Ecological Park in the first half of this year, complete the capture and relocation of Maengkkongi and park maintenance within the year, and create ecological learning centers for Maengkkongi to open to residents. The size of the ecological park to be created is 59,000㎡ (approximately 18,000 pyeong).

This agreement is the first case of a public enterprise and a local government cooperating to create a Maengkkongi Ecological Park and is expected to become a model case for the conservation of endangered species appearing at development sites nationwide. Furthermore, by creating Maengkkongi ecological learning and experience centers, not only children but also citizens will be able to observe and experience the sounds and movements of Maengkkongi, fostering appreciation for endangered species whose populations are declining due to urbanization.

Kim Young-il, head of LH’s Business Impact Assessment Department, said, “We will actively cooperate with Cheonan City to ensure that the ecological park created through this agreement expands not only for the conservation of endangered species but also as an educational and recreational space for citizens.”

Meanwhile, as part of ESG management, LH prepared conservation measures for Maengkkongi using Joseon royal tombs in cooperation with the Cultural Heritage Administration last year, and this year is promoting cooperative projects to secure habitats with Suwon City, Songpa District, and others in addition to Cheonan City.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.