South Korea and Australia to Strengthen 'Forestry Cooperation' Including Promotion of Timber Utilization

South Korea and Australia are strengthening cooperation in the forestry sector, including efforts to promote the use of timber.

On June 24, the Korea Forest Service announced that Nam Songhee, Director of International Forest Cooperation, and Sarah-Jane McCormack, Director of the Aquatic and Forestry Agricultural Chemicals Division at the Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, held a video conference as the chief representatives of their respective countries. During the meeting, they discussed forest policies and key areas of cooperation between the two countries.

Nam Songhee, Director of International Forest Cooperation (left), is discussing forest policies and key cooperation matters between the two countries in a video conference on the 24th with Sarah-Jane McCormack, Director of the Aquatic and Forestry Agricultural Chemicals Division at the Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. Provided by Korea Forest Service

During the meeting, the chief representatives from both countries agreed to enhance mutual cooperation on issues such as strategies to promote timber utilization, policies related to legal timber, seed conservation, and multilateral forest cooperation. They also agreed to strengthen collaboration in the legal timber trade and the promotion of timber use.

Australia possesses approximately 130 million hectares of forest, and its annual timber industry is valued at around 20 trillion Korean won.

Since signing a memorandum of understanding on forest cooperation with the Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry in 1997, the Korea Forest Service has continued to collaborate with Australia on sustainable forest management, forest protection, and trade in forest products.

Based on this memorandum of understanding, the two countries also hold a Forest Cooperation Committee every two years.

Nam Songhee, Director of International Forest Cooperation, stated, "Australia is one of Korea's key partners in forest cooperation," and added, "I hope that both countries will continue to strengthen cooperation in the forestry sector to enhance the value of forests through forest policies for climate change adaptation, sustainable timber use, and species conservation."