University of Cebu, Banilad, Cebu CityCOLLEGE OF LAW In Partial Fulfillment in the Course Requirement in Environmental Law: Climate Negotiations in Class- Simulation: A Background Paper of South Korea Submitted by: Christian Marc E. Lianza Reality Mae S. Tabernero Submitted to: Atty. Rose Liza Eisma Osorio September 15, 2015 1st Semester A.Y. 2015-2016 SOUTH KOREA During his regime. a democratic-based government (Republic of Korea. During the Korean War (1950-53). highlighted by the North's attacks on a South Korean ship and island in 2010. with former ROK Army general ROH Tae-woo winning a close race. daughter of former ROK President PARK Chunghee.720 sq km) Coastline: 1. 1 Population: 48. DPRK).499 miles (2. Brazil. KIM Young-sam (1993-98) became the first civilian president of South Korea's new democratic era.BACKGROUND An independent kingdom for much of its long history. multiple nuclear and missile tests. Discord with North Korea has permeated interKorean relations for much of the past decade.950 m) 1 Central Intelligence Agency.502 square miles (99. In 1993. South Korea held a non-permanent seat (2013-14) on the UN Security Council and will host the 2018 Winter Olympic Games.413 km) Highest Point: Halla-san at 6. In The World Factbook.html 1| P a g e . (2014).398 feet (1.cia. In 1910.636. Tokyo formally annexed the entire Peninsula. After World War II. and a five-month closure of the inter-Korean Kaesong Industrial Complex in 2013. Korea was occupied by Japan beginning in 1905 following the Russo-Japanese War.068 (July 2010 estimate) Capital: Seoul Bordering Country: North Korea Land Area: 38. South Korea held its first free presidential election under a revised democratic constitution in 1987. ROK) was set up in the southern half of the Korean Peninsula while a communist-style government was installed in the north (Democratic People's Republic of Korea. from 1961 to 1979. Korea regained its independence following Japan's surrender to the United States in 1945. US troops and UN forces fought alongside ROK soldiers to defend South Korea from a DPRK invasion supported by China and the Soviet Union. with per capita income rising to roughly 17 times the level of North Korea. President PARK Geun-hye. South Korea achieved rapid economic growth. PARK Chung-hee took over leadership of the country in a 1961 coup.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/br. took office in February 2013 and is South Korea's first female leader. Retrieved from https://www. A 1953 armistice split the Peninsula along a demilitarized zone at about the 38th parallel. President KIM Dae-jung (1998-2003) won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2000 for his contributions to South Korean democracy and his "Sunshine" policy of engagement with North Korea. an extinct volcano. South Korea has been in the news due to growing conflicts between it and its northern neighbor. (24 November 2010). It has coastlines along the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea. 2010.cia.The World Factbook . The two went to war in the 1950s and there have been years of hostilities between the two nations but on November 23.South Korea is a country that is located in eastern Asia on the southern part of the Korean Peninsula. 2 Central Intelligence Agency.2 GEOGRAPHY AND CLIMATE OF SOUTH KOREA Geographically.cia.950 m).htmlency.South Korea. It is located on South Korea's Jeju Island. North Korea. (24 November 2010). CIA . Most recently. which is located south of the mainland. North Korea attacked South Korea. It is officially called the Republic of Korea and its capital and largest city is Seoul.gov/library/publications/the-worldfactbook/geos/ks.The World Factbook South Korea. CIA . South Korea's topography consists mainly of hills and mountains but there are large coastal plains in the western and southern parts of the country.gov/library/publications/the-worldfactbook/geos/ks. which rises to 6.398 feet (1. The highest point in South Korea is Halla-san. South Korea is located on the southern part of the Korean Peninsula below the 38th parallel of latitude. Retrieved from:https://www. Retrieved from:https://www.html 2| P a g e . eating.Retrieved from: http://www. Korea was a single country on the world map but political unrest resulted in a division of the region into two countries with different political ideologies. Geography. 3 Infoplease. Influenced by the philosophical brilliance of Confucius.com. Koreans believe in family. and Culture. Winters are cold to very cold depending upon altitude and summers are hot and humid.htm 3| P a g e .d. Globalization has made certain changes to the family patterns and social structure. As good and old habits die hard.3 CULTURE Until 1948.Infoplease. predominantly in South Korea because of its flexible policies. South: History. unlike western ideology of individualism.).com. However. community and society. Retrieved from: http://www. Bowing means showing gratitude and respect to the person you are meeting with. both the Korean countries are still deeply rooted in their culture and traditions. Korea. praying or even celebrating is very important. The younger generations have blended the western culture with their native culture by shaking hands after bowing to each other. 4 Korean Beliefs and Practices Koreans believe in sincerity and following protocols while meeting.org/asianinfo/korea/cel/hanbok. Let us have a look at different Korean etiquette in this section of the article.com/ipa/A0107690.html 4 The Korean Hanbok . The Korean language is spoken in both the countries and a similar family system is followed in both countries. Bowing is equivalent to the handshake in Korean culture. Government. (n.asianinfo. which is not the case with North Korean politics.infoplease. culture and traditional values of the region still bind these two countries with each other.The climate of South Korea is considered temperate and rainfall is heavier in the summer than in the winter due to the presence of the East Asian Monsoon. monuments and temples have been included in the National Treasure and Monument list by the government. celadon. however. However. The use of white. Red.Retrieved from: http://www. Seoul.org/asianinfo/korea/cel/hanbok. dining and eating means following a strict protocol. 5 ECONOMY Economics and Land Use in South Korea Recently. seven is considered as a lucky number so anything in multiples of seven will be accepted heartily. the removal of shoes before entering the house or dining room. Cold noodles. Korean food and drinks add flavor to their traditional lifestyle and rice malt served withkimchi is their specialty. is famous all over the world.htm 4| P a g e . culture and arts. is a megacity and it is home to some of the world's largest international companies like 5 The Korean Hanbok .Gifts have remained an integral part of their culture. bulgogi and dakgalbi are some of the world famous Korean dishes. yellow and pink colors denote happiness and prosperity in the Korean culture. The quantity or numbers also add value to your gifts. and most importantly.asianinfo. Its capital. Korean culture is incomplete without pottery and ceramics. This pottery style was passed on to the Japanese by the Koreans. Buddhism is the main religion in Korea and its teachings reflect in Korean lifestyle. only male hosts will serve the drinks. Yungdrung is major symbol of Korean Buddhism and it can be seen outside temples and religious places in Korea. Pottery is Korea's cultural emblem and it started thousands of years ago. gifts are always given according to the capacity and affordability of the other person because Koreans firmly believe in reciprocating. they avoid giving anything that falls in the multiple value of four because Koreans consider four as an unlucky number. No indoor farewells. black or green colors for wrapping is offensive and must be avoided. Today. bibimbap. a Korean blue-glazed pottery. Numerous Buddhist statues. South Korea's economy has begun to boom considerably and it is currently considered a high-tech industrialized economy. However. html 7 Energy consumption (2012). milk. Retrieved from: https://www. Washington DC.49 metric tons (2010) Population 50 million (2012)7 South Korea’s Viewpoints on Issues Related to Climate Change In the advent of climate change that is caused by global warming. The largest industries in South Korea are electronics. Retrieved from: http://www.org/ 5| P a g e . cattle.Samsung and Hyundai. root crops.95 kWh (2011) CO2 emissions per capita 11. and public health systems undermining human health as a whole. is increasingly recognized as a major threat to mankind's survival. eggs and fish. telecommunications. chickens.200 (2012 est.300 (2014 est. climate change has both direct and modifying influences on environmental.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ks. shipbuilding and steel production. (2014). In The World Factbook.)6 Related statistics Electricity consumption per capita 10. social. automobile production. chemicals.100 (2013 est. fruit.cia.worldbank. Seoul alone generates over 20% of South Korea's gross domestic product. pigs. Brazil. 6 Central Intelligence Agency.) $34. Thus. barley. GDP PER CAPITA $35.) $33.161. Agriculture also plays a role in the country's economy and the chief agricultural products are rice. vegetables. 2° by the 2020's.4°C by the 2050's.4 -0. Climate Change Adaptation in South Korea Environmental Politics in the Agricultural Sector.5°C (global average has risen by 0. peaches. forestry and fisheries in South Korea. Cultivation areas for warm season fruits including tangerine. the coastal and marine environment and terrestrial ecosystems. and an increase in natural disasters. and kiwi fruit will expand and cultivation areas for temperate fruit trees such as apples.no/projects/southkorea 9 Susann Schäfer. 8 Climate change will result in rising water temperature and sea level around the Korean Peninsula.6°C). 9 Vulnerability to Climate Change and its Impact in Korea According to Department of Environmental Cooperation Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade that in the span of the last century average temperature has risen by 1. pears.5°C in the 21st century even when excluding the effects of urbanization. there was an increase of 0. are rising in frequency and intensity. 2.0°C by the 2080's. Temperature has risen from 12°C in the 20th century to 13. The impact of Climate Change also overarches its effect to the agricultural sector. Consequently.8°C(larger impact of urbanization rather than global warming). 2015 6| P a g e . Retrieved from http://www.Climate change will seriously affect agriculture. Moreover. citron. and 4. there is a decrease of annual number of rainy days by 14% and occurrence of extreme natural disasters such as the heaviest snowfall in 32years. annual rainfall and days with heavy rainfall has increased in the Southern region of Korea. Thus. In addition. which will ultimately affect the marine ecosystem and impact on fisheries' resources and fish and shellfish production. grapes. during the past 20 years. annually it increases rainfall by 7% and days with heavy rainfall by 23%. regions ideal for cultivation will proceed northward and expand due to global warming. it is estimated that the average climate will rise 1. The government has been carrying out research into the effects of climate change on socio-economic and natural systems as well as attempting to develop adaptation measures to mitigate these impacts.zeroco2. and other agricultural products are expected to face 8 Energy and Climate Change. the worst draught in history. with an impact on health. and the heaviest rainfall in 37years. hurricane. due to a rise in average temperature. such as the increase in density of CO2. limiting factors such as forest fires. Climatol 11 Jeong. had decreased sharply Hence. frost damage has decreased yet the damage from noxious insects has increased. the rise in sea level will cause a serious loss of vast tidal flats. hail. 2010: Prospect of Korea Climate change..J. pests and plant pathogens may occur and may cause further of forest destruction. On the contrary.S. in fact during the past 30-40years. the catch of warm water fishery species such as mackerel. anchovy. The catch of cold water fisheries species such as walleye Pollack. Hence.10 In Forestry there could be a change of air composition.-E.. Furthermore. 2002: Summer monsoon rainfall patterns over South Korea and associated circulation features. J. cuttlefish. the rise in water temperature due to climate change may induce long-term and large-scale red.difficulties if global warming continues. This includes the frequency of typhoon. yellow sand storms.2% of 10 Kim. Kripalani. drought. and the extension of rearing period is anticipated to increase the productivity of mountains and forests. 1. codfish. and S. parts of the region cultivating apples may have to abandon future cultivation and the possibility of cultivating subtropical fruit trees in Jeju Island is expected. Theor. trees more acclimatized to colder environments such as pine trees may decline in number due to rise in winter temperature. landslides.11 Moreover. there lies a possibility that the rise in water temperature will change the surrounding temperate waters of Korean Peninsula to subtropical waters. there is a rise in frequency and intensity of damage due to agricultural atmosphere disaster.tide. H. Moon. In line with this. the Department of Environmental Cooperation Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade provided that when the sea level rises by 1 meter. Rural and Environmental Engineering Journal. The winter fisheries for cuttlefish has moved 60miles north and expanded during the past 20years. Oh. pages 22–23 7| P a g e . causing serious harm to the reproduction of fish and shellfish and on the other hand. R. outbreaks of insects. H. heavy snow. etc. Thus.H. has increased. etc. but regions growing cool-season vegetables will have to move north. Appl. B. [cited 2012 May 31]. Available from:http://www. According to the Korea Meteorological Administration. there was a consistent reoccurrence of malaria since 1993. Quantification of the disease burden attributable to environmental risk factors. 12 World Health Organization. 91. While in the sector of health.int/quantifying_ehimpacts/summaryEBD_updated.who.6% of the total population (approximately 1.pdf 13 . In Korea. with a total predicted rise of 6. we are primarily concerned about the human health effects.4℃ by the century's end .643km²) and 2.000 people) will be vulnerably exposed to the flood. average temperatures have risen 1.74℃. there could be an additional casualties due to intense heat will increase.7℃ over the past 100 years (from 1912 to 2008 . Korea is vulnerable to the health impacts of climate change. p. (Ministry of Environment.127 people between 1994 and 2005. (Korean) 8| P a g e . 13 In this. A broad swathe of scientific research has documented the adverse public health effects of such a shift in climate. Clearly. It is imperative that concrete solutions must be materialized in order to address this kind of global problem. 12 The Korea peninsula is experiencing a rise in average temperatures higher than the global average. The winter period has shrunk by 22-49 days and phenomenally heavy rains and high temperatures during the summer have resulted in heat waves that have claimed the lives of 2. such as increased incidence of disease and overall mortality rates. In the northern regions of Gyeonggi province. According to the fourth report of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). 2005.250.the total territory (2. we could wit that the effects of climate change are global and far-reaching. Health impacts of climate change and adaptation measures Gwacheon: Ministry of Environment. additional casualties due to intense heat were recorded in 1994. The World Health Organization (WHO) has outlined eight categories of risk factors for environmentrelated diseases. Climate change sits high on that list. thus its effects also overarches to the different sectors in South Korea. global average temperatures have increased over the past 100 years by 0. Government. and CultureInfoplease.cia. 22–3 Korea’s Vulnerability to Climate s Vulnerability to Climate Change and its Adaptation Policies Change and its Adaptation Policies.infoplease.html Energy consumption (2012).com. Oh.html Kim.zeroco2.Retrieved from: http://www. Geography.org/ Energy and Climate Change. Kripalani. 2010: Prospect of Korea Climate change. R. Moon.SOURCES Central Intelligence Agency.worldbank.go. Retrieve from: http://www. J. Theor. Korea. H. Retrieved from: http://www. 2002: Summer monsoon rainfall patterns over South Korea and associated circulation features. In The World Factbook. (2014). B..no/projects/southkorea Infoplease.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/br.-E. Retrieved from https://www.. Brazil. 109.com/ipa/A0107690.pdf 9| P a g e .com.S. Rural and Environmental Engineering Journal.env. (n. and S.H. Appl. Retrieved from: http://www.d. Washington DC. Climatol Jeong.jp/en/earth/ap-net/documents/seminar/16th/kim_session3. South: History.J. H.). pdf 10| P a g e . Retrieve from: http://www.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3524451/ The Korean Hanbok . Retrieved from: http://www.nlm.ncbi.htm World Health Organization.Policy Directions Addressing the Public Health Impact of Climate Change in South Korea: The Climate-change Health Adaptation and Mitigation Program.Available from: http://www.who.nih.int/quantifying_ehimpacts/summaryEBD_updated.asianinfo.[cited 2012 May 31].org/asianinfo/korea/cel/hanbok. Quantification of the disease burden attributable to environmental risk factors.