산림청-FAO, 서울서 ‘통합산림위험관리 공동연수회’ 개최 Forest Service-FAO Hold 'Integrated Forest Risk Management Joint Training Workshop' in Seoul

The Korea Forest Service announced on the 14th that it held the ‘Integrated Forest Risk Management (AFFIRM) Joint Workshop’ in collaboration with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

The joint workshop took place from the 12th to the 14th in Seoul. Approximately 40 experts, including officials from the Korea Forest Service, FAO, the Asia Forest Cooperation Organization (AFoCO), and pilot countries for integrated forest risk management such as Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos, attended the event to share Korea’s integrated wildfire management policies and wildfire response cases in the Mekong region of Southeast Asia.

Participants of the 'Integrated Forest Risk Management (AFFIRM) Joint Training Session' visited the Korea Forest Aviation Headquarters in Wonju, Gangwon Province on the 14th to learn about South Korea's wildfire disaster response system. Photo by Korea Forest Service

At the joint workshop, FAO presented the progress of the ‘Global Fire Management Hub’ project, which integrates and centralizes all processes of wildfire prevention, response, and recovery, a core part of the ‘Integrated Forest Risk Management Project.’

Additionally, on the final day of the schedule, participants visited the Forest Aviation Headquarters located in Wonju, Gangwon Province, where they were introduced to Korea’s wildfire disaster response system and had the opportunity to observe the ecological restoration status of the wildfire-affected area in Hoengseong, Gangwon.

The Korea Forest Service and FAO jointly developed the ‘Integrated Forest Risk Management Project’ in 2021 and are currently spreading the Korean-style wildfire management system to developing countries such as Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, and Thailand, while cultivating wildfire response capabilities.

Nam Song-hee, Director of International Forest Cooperation at the Korea Forest Service, stated, “As extreme weather causes frequent large-scale wildfires and forest disasters, international cooperation on wildfire management has become essential. We will strive to play a pivotal role in the international wildfire management field by leveraging the ‘Integrated Forest Risk Management’ project we are jointly promoting with FAO.”