Minister Park Jong-ho of the Korea Forest Service (KFS) poses with Executive Director Chencho Norbu of the Asian Forest Cooperation Organization (AFoCO) and President Chu Moo-jin of Korea Foundation for International Healthcare (KOFIH) after they signed an MOU on forward-looking cooperation on health care, international forestry cooperation, and climate change in post-COVID-19 era at the AFoCO secretariat in Yeouido, Seoul, Aug. 11.

The Korea Forest Service (KFS) signed an MOU on forward-looking cooperation in health care, international forestry cooperation, and climate change health in the post-COVID-19 era with Korea Foundation for International Healthcare (KOFIH) and the Asian Forest Cooperation Organization (AFoCO), at the AFoCO secretariat in Yeouido, Seoul, Aug. 11.

 
KFS, KOFIH and AFoCO agreed to collaborate for sustainable development of developing countries. AFoCO is an intergovernmental body that is committed to strengthening forest cooperation by transforming proven technologies and policies into concrete action in the context of sustainable forest management to address the impacts of climate change.

The takeaways of the agreement include sharing information between health care and forest sectors, the establishment of groundwork to implement convergence projects, exploring new projects, and cooperation in joint survey and research.

As the importance of the climate change fight amid the global pandemic gains steam, the deal will enable KFS to negotiate on the matter of transferring K-quarantine to agricultural and mountainous regions of developing countries as well as medical delivery systems.

Korea is one of the representative countries which have succeeded in afforestation. The nation supports efforts to build a mangrove forest in Vietnam, restore peatlands in Indonesia, and prevent damages caused by yellow dust in Mongolia.

In particular, AFoCO, established with Korea taking the initiative, implements diverse forest cooperation projects worth $580,000 to strength forests and improve residents’ livelihoods in 13 Asian countries in close cooperation with local residents.

Amid the spread of contagious diseases that may infect both humans and animals, local residents vulnerable due to insufficient basic health facilities are demanding support for K-quarantine to prevent or treat infectious diseases.

Collaboration in the health care and forest sectors is predicted to contribute to not only enhancing satisfaction of forest projects, but also improving the quality of local residents’ lives.

KFS Minister Park Jong-ho said, “Korea’s capability to cope with a crisis, caused by the spread of COVID-19, has been evaluated high by international society, and combination of forest and health care sectors like K-quarantine to address climate change is expected to create synergetic effects of each organization.”

Direcr-General Koh Ki-yeon, head of KFS’ office for preparing the 15th World Forestry Congress (WFC) 2021, holds a second discussion webinar on July 28 on the holding of the WFC 2021 with FAO Assistant Director-General Hiroto Mitsugi, Associate Secretary-General Peter Csoka of the WFC 2021, and regional forestry officials in the North American area. (Photos: KFS)

The KFS is preparing for hosting of the 15th World Forestry Congress (WFC).

The Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) held a second discussion webinar on July 28 on the WFC 2021, slated for September in Seoul.

Among those on hand at the webinar conference were FAO Assistant Director-General Hiroto Mitsugi, Associate Secretary-General Peter Csoka of the WFC 2021, and Director-General Koh Ki-yeon, head of KFS’ office for preparing the WFC 2021 and regional forestry officials in the North American area.