A new system is planned to prevent the island’s natural resources from being overwhelmed by overdevelopment. Here’s Joseph Kim to report.

Jeju is blessed with a superb natural environment.

However, the crush of tourists and reckless development are damaging nature.

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New environmental preservation rules

To prevent the destruction of nature, a natural resource quota system will soon be in place.

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Development on oreum and in gotjawal forests to be limited

Limiting development of precious natural resources like (오름) oreum or (곶자왈) gotjawal is the key to the system.

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35th Jeju Future Forum at Jeju Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Prior to the legislation of the development limiting system, a discussion took place to talk about the introduction of the program.

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Developers will pay for environmental damage

At the discussion, suggestions were made to expand legal greenbelts and force developers to restore damaged habitats or charge a restoration penalty to the developers.

Recording
Jeon Seong-woo / Professor, Korea University
The purpose of the natural resource quota system is to preserve the natural environment, not to develop it. The restoration fee should be set above the actual restoration expenses.
<싱크 : 전성우 / 고려대학교 교수>
"(자원총량제 도입 취지는) 그 지역을 피하라는 거지 개발하라는 게 아니거든요. 피하게 할 만큼의 충분한 금액이 설정이 돼야 하는데 똑같은 것들을 복원하는데 들어가는 비용 이상이 돼야 한다고 봅니다."

The Ministry of Environment which is preparing for the national natural resource quota system also gives its input.

Recording
Yoo Seung-gwang / Ministry of Environment
Basically, the quota should be set based on the natural value of the land instead of the size. Authorities should ban development in areas in which restoration is impossible. No development inside Hallasan National Park.
<싱크 : 유승광 / 환경부 자연생태정책과장>
"(총량 산정 기준은) 1대 1의 단순 면적 개념이 아니라 생태가치를 고려해 전체적으로 수익 손실이 되지 않도록 하는 게 원칙입니다. 대체 복원이 불가능한 우수지역은 개발 지역에서 회피해야 된다. 한라산국립공원을 개발할 수는 없다."

The province has prepared for the natural resource quota system over the last 10 years. There has been a great deal of discussion and preparations.

[Reporter] Joseph Kim
[Camera] Kim Yong-min

If the proposal of the Jeju Special Act amendment submitted in December 2017 is passed at the National Assembly, the development limiting system is expected to progress rapidly.

Joseph Kim, KCTV