Haenam County Opens Door for Special Act on Estuary Restoration... First Nationwide Initiative

Reflected in Lee administration’s national agenda...
Legal foundation for ecological restoration
Bill expected to be finalized at the National Assembly legislative policy forum in November

Haenam County in South Jeolla Province has opened the door for discussions among the public, private sector, and government regarding the enactment of the Special Act on Estuary Restoration. On the 25th, the county announced that it had held a "Public-Private-Government Forum for the Enactment of the Special Act on Estuary Restoration" at the Haenam Culture and Arts Center Grand Theater, where participants discussed the necessity of ecological restoration of national estuaries and the establishment of an institutional foundation.

This forum was organized as the first public debate on restoring the ecological functions of major estuaries such as the Yeongsan River and Geum River, in line with the "Restoration of the Four Major Rivers’ Natural State," one of the 123 key national tasks of the Lee Jaemyung administration.

Haenam County held a "Public-Private-Government Forum for the Enactment of the Special Act on Estuary Restoration" to discuss the necessity of ecological restoration of national estuaries and the establishment of an institutional foundation. Provided by Haenam County

Representatives from three central government ministries-the Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, and Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries-as well as officials from South Jeolla Province, Haenam County, and Buyeo County in South Chungcheong Province, attended the event. Lawmakers from both ruling and opposition parties, including Park Jie-won, Lee Gaeho, Shin Jeonghun, Moon Geumjoo, Park Soo-hyun, Hwang Myungseon, Seo Wangjin, and Jeon Jongdeok, also participated as co-hosts, lending support to legislative discussions at the National Assembly level. The event was organized by the National Council for Ecological Restoration of National Estuaries and the Korea Environment Institute.

During the forum, presentations included: "Ecological Restoration of the Yeongsan River Estuary and Directions for Sustainable Estuary Development" by Jeon Seungsoo, Professor Emeritus at Chonnam National University; "Current Status and Restoration Tasks of the Geum River Estuary" by Kim Eoksu, Executive Director of Seocheon Ecological Culture School; and "The Necessity and Expected Effects of Enacting the Special Act on Estuary Restoration" by Kim Chungki, Senior Research Fellow at the Korea Environment Institute.

In his presentation, Senior Research Fellow Kim Chungki pointed out, "Estuaries are managed separately by various ministries, including the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, and the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, which creates practical limitations." He emphasized, "It is necessary to establish an integrated management system and institutionalize inter-ministerial cooperation through the enactment of the Special Act on Estuary Restoration."

In his welcoming remarks, Haenam County Governor Myeong Hyun-gwan stated, "This forum marks a turning point where the public, private sector, and government can work together through ecological restoration to revive the environment, agriculture, and fisheries, and lay the groundwork for balanced regional growth. Haenam County will also do its utmost to support the enactment of the Special Act on Estuary Restoration."

Buyeo County Governor Park Jeonghyeon said, "This forum will have historical significance in reaching a social consensus for the enactment of the Special Act on Estuary Restoration, which will serve as a legal foundation for overcoming the climate crisis, preventing the decline of rural communities, and achieving balanced national development."

During the event, National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik, South Jeolla Province Governor Kim Young-rok, and lawmaker Park Jie-won sent congratulatory video messages, welcoming the adoption of the ecological restoration of the Yeongsan River and Geum River estuaries as a national policy task and pledging to work towards improving relevant laws and institutions.

The discussions from the forum will be reflected in region-specific issues and will be used to promote the finalization of the bill at the National Assembly legislative policy forum scheduled for November. The public, private sector, and government plan to collaborate for a swift passage of the bill through joint action.