Chungnam Governor Kim Tae-heum Proposes "Establishment of Pan-Yellow Sea Marine Environment Cooperation Body" to East Asian Local Governments

[Asia Economy (Hongseong) Reporter Jeong Il-woong] “I propose the establishment of the ‘Pan-Huanghae Marine Environment Cooperation Body’ to enhance the health and resilience of the marine ecosystem.” Kim Tae-heum, Governor of Chungnam Province, made this statement on the 4th at the ‘8th Pan-Huanghae Forum’ held at the Boryeong Mud Theme Park Convention Plaza.

The forum was held under the theme ‘The Path Forward for Pan-Huanghae Centered on the Ocean.’ About 200 participants joined both online and offline, including Governor Kim, Cho Gil-yeon, Chairman of the Chungnam Provincial Council, National Assembly member Jang Dong-hyuk, Kim Dong-il, Mayor of Boryeong, Jeong Hae-il, President of the Korea National Defense University, and officials from central and local governments of six countries including South Korea, China, Japan, Vietnam, Kazakhstan, and the United Kingdom.

At the event, Governor Kim pointed out, “Large and small marine disasters continue to occur in the Pan-Huanghae region,” adding, “In particular, marine environmental issues such as red tides, high water temperatures, and microplastics are becoming increasingly severe, threatening our future coexisting with the Yellow Sea.”

He further stated, “I propose to East Asian local governments the formation of the ‘Pan-Huanghae Marine Environment Cooperation Body,’ an international cooperative organization aimed at seeking and implementing practical measures for the conservation and restoration of the Pan-Huanghae marine ecosystem.”

The essence of the proposal is to establish a global marine environment monitoring network centered on the cooperation body and to form and strengthen collaborative governance through international joint surveys and research.

Governor Kim also expressed his ambition, saying, “Chungnam will continuously explore the path forward for Pan-Huanghae based on the power of the sea.”

In the special session that followed, the role of East Asian local governments in marine environment management and microplastic reduction was also highlighted.

The special session was held under the theme ‘Enhancing Marine Environment Management Systems and the Role of Local Governments in Reducing Microplastics through Domestic and International Cooperation.’ Dr. Shim Won-jun of the Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology delivered the presentation, followed by discussions with participants including Nguyen Van Ut, Chairman of the People's Committee of Long An Province, Vietnam.

In the special session, Dr. Shim pointed out, “Microplastics exist everywhere in the world’s oceans, and the waters near Asia are considered a true ‘hotspot’ region.”

Dr. Shim emphasized, “This problem is expected to continue, increasing its severity,” and argued, “To resolve environmental plastic pollution issues for future generations, domestic and international local governments must cooperate to explore preventive measures.”

Meanwhile, the forum’s main sessions were conducted with sector-specific themes such as ‘Response Measures to the Food Crisis Amid Ecological and Environmental Changes,’ ‘Space Cooperation for the Future of Pan-Huanghae,’ and ‘Strengthening Cultural Tourism Exchange and Cooperation Systems among Local Governments of South Korea, China, and Japan in the With-COVID Era.’

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