Garo-rim Bay in West Sea Named South Korea's First National Marine Ecological Park
Creatrip Team
4 months ago
South Chungcheong Province announced that Garo-rim Bay (Garorimman), one of the world’s five major tidal flats and the nation’s first and largest marine life protection area, has been designated as South Korea’s first National Marine Ecological Park. The designation marks a shift from past conflicts over a tidal power project to a conservation-focused plan that will create a balanced marine ecological space with preservation and sustainable use by 2030, backed by about 120 billion KRW (approx. US$90M). The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries also unveiled plans to designate other coastal areas as national marine ecological parks. Garo-rim Bay is notable for supporting the spotted seal (a marine protected species visible from land) and high biodiversity including endangered waterbirds like the Saunders’s gull and spoon-billed sandpiper (IUCN-listed). Authorities aim to secure funding through feasibility reviews next year and pursue UNESCO World Natural Heritage listing at the World Heritage Committee meeting in July.
