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Public-Private Partnership to Restore Seocheon Tidal Flat Ecosystem

  • Date

    2026.07.30.

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    44

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Public-Private Partnership to
Restore Seocheon Tidal Flat Ecosystem
- 26 Billion KRW Public-Private Partnership Signed for Blue Carbon Ecological Restoration Project (MOU)

The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF, Minister Hwang Jong-woo) announced on Tuesday, July 28, that it signed a six-party Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) at the Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas with Kia Corp., Chungcheongnam-do Province, Seocheon-gun County, Korea Marine Environment Management Corporation, and Korea Marine Foundation to promote the "Public-Private Partnership Seocheon Tidal Flat Blue Carbon Ecological Restoration Project."

* Blue Carbon: Carbon absorbed and stored by marine and coastal ecosystems, such as tidal flats, halophytes, and seaweed.

This project is the second public-private partnership tidal flat ecosystem restoration project, following the first phase project fully funded by Kia Corp. in Maehyang-ri, Hwaseong-si from 2022 to 2025.

The second phase will run for four years from 2026 to 2029, with a total budget of 26 billion KRW, significantly expanding the scale from the previous phase.

The project site is located around the tidal flats in Janghang-eup, Seocheon-gun, Chungcheongnam-do Province. To expand blue carbon, the participating organizations will transform abandoned aquaculture farms into blue carbon gardens and restore tidal flats into halophyte communities and seabird habitats.

In addition, they plan to construct tidal flat exploration trails to enhance accessibility and build a promotion center to widely raise awareness about the importance and value of blue carbon, utilizing the area as a local eco-tourism resource.

The signing ceremony was attended by key figures from related organizations, including Hwang Jong-woo, Minister of Oceans and Fisheries; Song Ho-sung, CEO of Kia Corp.; Park Soo-hyun, Governor of Chungcheongnam-do Province; Yoo Seung-gwang, Governor of Seocheon-gun County; Kang Yong-seok, Chairman of Korea Marine Environment Management Corporation; and Kim Yang-soo, Chairman of Korea Marine Foundation.

Hwang Jong-woo, Minister of Oceans and Fisheries, said, "This project will serve as an exemplary model of public-private partnership where the central government, local governments, and private enterprises cooperate to respond to climate change." He added, "The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries is developing cooperative business models across all areas of the marine environment to activate corporate Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) activities, and we look forward to active participation from many companies in the future."
 
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