The wildlife of South Korea includes 8,271 plant species, 18,117 animal species and 3,528 species of fungi and others. [1] 30,000 species are known to inhabit South Korea, among an estimated 100,000+ in all. [2]
South Korea has complex terrain and is surrounded by water on three sides. Therefore, South Korea has multiple climate zones and high precipitation, leading to diverse wildlife. [3]
18,117 animal species include 1,528 species of vertebrates, 13,025 species of insects, and 3,564 species of other invertebrates. [1]
Article 2 of the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act discusses endangered wild animals. [4] [5] Among the 246 endangered species [6] are many in need of urgent conservation measures. [7] Endangered animals include:
Harmful wild animals are wild animals that damage property or endanger people. [14]
Harmful wild animals include:
South Korea hosts 8,271 species of plants, consisting of 4,662 vascular species and 3,609 non-vascular species. [1] Wild plants include species native to Korea such as Pentactina . Ecosystems are unstable because of land development. 67 km2 of forest disappear each year, accounting for 0.1% of South Korean forests. [21]
Korea can be divided into three biozones by plant distribution: warm-temperate forest, temperate forest and subalpine forest. Evergreen broad-leaved trees grow in warm-temperate forests. Warm-temperate forests include the southern coastal region, Jeju Island and several islands of the southern sea which are below 35°N.
Species include Quercus myrsinaefolia , Quercus acuta , Quercus salicina , Daphniphyllum macropodum , Castanopsis cuspidata , Ligustrum foliosum nakai, Machilus thunbergii .
Ulleungdo: A sort of tree that reseeds with Mt. Seonginbong as a center at approximately 600 m altitude. Altitudes below 600 m have wild plants in the Southern province such as magnolia, Euonymus japonicus , Camellia japonica , Hedera rhombea , Ardisia japonica , Vitex rotundifolia and others. Above 600 m Fagus crenata and Sorbus commixta can be found. [22]
Jejudo can be divided into coast and mountain. Coast vegetation consists of Sinomenium acutum , Machilus thunbergii , Daphniphyllum macropodum , Camellia japonica , Vitex rotundifolia , Centella asiatica . Reynoutria elliptica , Hydrangea serrata , Eleutherococcus senticosus , Aconitum napiforme , Schisandra repanda and others. [22]
Temperate forests dominate South Korea, occupying 85% of its territory, including land between the Korean Demilitarized Zone and the northern part of 35°N. Common species are Carpinus laxiflora , Carpinus tschonoskii and Quercus mongolica .
South Korea lowlands have no boreal forests.[ citation needed ] However subalpine coniferous forest is found in highland or mountainous districts. Part of Hallasan, part of Seoraksan, fir forest of Jirisan and Gotjawal Forest in Jeju Province are the subalpine forests. At 1200 m–1500 m altitude in Hallasan, a coniferous forest consists of pine, juniper, and a Korean fir. Fruticeta is formed in 1500 m–1700 m and the alpine zone spread out above 1850 m. South-facing slopes have more mild weather than north-facing slopes. Therefore, its height extends a little more on the south side. [23] [24] [25] [26]
Endangered plants are divided into first and second grades. Species are selected by the Environment Minister after a consultation with the Minister of Central Administration. [27]
First grade endangered wild plants species have populations significantly reduced by natural causes or artificial factors. First grade endangered wild plants include:
Second grade endangered wild plants are also significantly reduced by natural causes or artificial factors. These plants may become extinct in the foreseeable future.
The Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) is the unmanned strip of land that separates North and South Korea. [56] Since the Armistice that ended combat in 1953, its ecosystem has reverted to its natural state due to the absence of human activity. The DMZ and Civilian Control Zone (CCZ) (a buffer to the DMZ) support many rivers and abundant diverse ecosystems hosting plant, mammal, fish and bird species, many of which are globally endangered. [56]
Over 5,000 species of plants and animals have been identified as living in the DMZ, including many on the endangered species list. [57] These include: Siberian musk deer, white-naped crane, red-crowned crane, Asiatic black bear, cinereous vulture and the long-tailed goral. [57]
DMZ and the CCZ are bordered by land mines that prevent human activities. It is part of the East Asia flyway system of birds migrating from Russia to Australia. The white-naped crane and red-crowned crane populations are most affected. [56]
This area is home to many other endangered animal species, including the Asian black bear, [58] which is rated threatened on the endangered species list due to people harvesting their stomach bile and using it for Chinese herbology. [59]
The South Korean Ministry of Environment [57] works to keep the DMZ untouched by people to safeguard biodiversity. [58]
The Han River ecosystem is endangered because the water flow changed due to water blocking construction at Ilsan Bridge. Deposition of materials in the river caused environmental damage. The Korean Association for the Protection of Wild Birds pushed to remove the structure, which possibly destroyed the natural ecology and caused the bank to overflow. [60]
The Nakdong River Basin Environmental Office set up an unmanned camera and successfully captured images of wildlife. Wild animals are shown moving around the alpine wetlands and displayed actions such as hunting and territory marking. Martens were rated endangered as apex predators. This footage is the first to document local wildlife in real time. In addition, it offers scientists and government officials the opportunity to address preservation of the alpine climate. [61]
Korea has had administrative districts that can be considered provinces since the 7th century. These divisions were initially called ju in Unified Silla and Later Baekje, and there were nine in total. After Goryeo conquered these states in the 10th century, twelve divisions called mok were established, although they were reorganized into ten do in the 11th century.
Jeju Province, officially Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, is the southernmost province of South Korea, consisting of eight inhabited and 55 uninhabited islands, including Marado, Udo, the Chuja Archipelago, and the country's largest island, Jeju Island. The province is located in the Korea Strait, with the Korean Peninsula to the northwest, Japan to the east, and China to the west. The province has two cities: the capital Jeju City, on the northern half of the island and Seogwipo, on the southern half of the island. The island is home to the shield volcano Hallasan, the highest point in South Korea. Jeju and Korean are the official languages of the province, and the vast majority of residents are bilingual.
North Jeolla Province, officially Jeonbuk State, is a Special Self-governing Province of South Korea in the Honam region in the southwest of the Korean Peninsula. Jeonbuk borders the provinces of South Chungcheong to the north, North Gyeongsang and South Gyeongsang to the east and South Jeolla to the south.
Jeolla Province was one of the historical Eight Provinces of Korea during the Kingdom of Joseon in southwestern Korea. It consisted of the modern South Korean provinces of North Jeolla, South Jeolla and Gwangju Metropolitan City as well as Jeju Province. The provincial capital was Jeonju, the current capital of North Jeolla. The entire inland region was called Honam, which is still commonly used today.
Hallasan (Korean: 한라산) is a shield volcano on Jeju Island in South Korea. Its summit, at 1,947 m (6,388 ft), is the highest point in the country. The area around the mountain is a designated national park, named Hallasan National Park. Hallasan is commonly considered to be one of the three main mountains of South Korea, along with Jirisan and Seoraksan.
Jirisan (Korean: 지리산) is a mountain located in the southern region of South Korea. It is the second-tallest mountain in South Korea after Jeju Island's Hallasan, and is the tallest mountain in mainland South Korea.
A number of Korean dialects are spoken on the Korean Peninsula. The peninsula is very mountainous and each dialect's "territory" corresponds closely to the natural boundaries between different geographical regions of Korea. Most of the dialects are named for one of the traditional Eight Provinces of Korea. Two are sufficiently distinct from the others to be considered separate languages, the Jeju and the Yukjin languages.
The Jogye Order, officially the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, is the representative order of traditional Korean Buddhism, with roots that date back 1200 years ago to the Late Silla National Master Doui, who brought Seon and the practice taught by the Sixth Patriarch, Huineng, from China around 820 CE. The name of the Order, Jogye, was adopted from the name of the village where Patriarch Huineng's home temple, Nanhua Temple, is located.
Provinces are one of the first-level divisions within South Korea. There are 9 provinces in South Korea: North Chungcheong, South Chungcheong, Gangwon State, Gyeonggi, North Gyeongsang, South Gyeongsang, North Jeolla Province, South Jeolla, and Jeju Special Self-Governing Province.
The Jeju Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes is a World Heritage Site in South Korea. It was inscribed as one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 2007 because of the Geomunoreum Lava Tube System and the exhibition of diverse and accessible volcanic features which are considered to demonstrate a distinctive and valuable contribution to the understanding of global volcanism.
Deogyusan (Korean: 덕유산), formerly spelled Togyusan, is a mountain in South Korea. Its highest peak is 1,614 meters above sea level.
The fairy pitta is a small and brightly colored species of passerine bird in the family Pittidae. Its diet mainly consists of earthworms, spiders, insects, slugs, and snails. The fairy pitta breeds in East Asia and migrates south to winter in Southeast Asia. Due to various habitat and anthropogenic disruptions, such as deforestation, wildfire, hunting, trapping, and cage-bird trade, the fairy pitta is rare and the population is declining in most places. Listed on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Appendix II, this bird is classified as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
KBS Classic FM is a South Korean radio network operated by the Korean Broadcasting System. Most of the schedule is assigned to classical music, making it one of the few radio networks in the world that broadcast mainly in its music format.
The wildlife of Japan includes its flora, fauna, and natural habitats. The islands of Japan stretch a long distance from north to south and cover a wide range of climatic zones. This results in a high diversity of wildlife despite Japan's isolation from the mainland of Asia. In the north of the country, north of Blakiston's Line, there are many subarctic species which have colonized Japan from the north. In the south there are south-east Asian species, typical of tropical regions. Between these areas lies the temperate zone which shares many species with China and Korea. Japan also has many endemic species that are found nowhere else in the world, making it home to many endangered/rare species.
The environment of Korea is the natural environment of the Korean peninsula. Some environmental conditions are relatively uniform throughout Korea, while others differ by region, and particularly between the peninsula's two countries: North Korea and South Korea.
Taean Seaside National Park in Taean County, South Chungcheong Province, South Korea. It was designated the country's 13th National Park in 1978. The total area is about 326 sq mi (840 km2), with 289.315 sq mi (749.32 km2) being marine area.
The Southern Korea evergreen forests is a temperate broadleaf and mixed forests ecoregion at the southern end of the Korean Peninsula.
The wildlife of Korea belongs to the Palearctic realm. Native or endemic species of the Korean Peninsula include Korean hare, Korean water deer, Korean field mouse, Korean brown frog, Korean pine and Korean spruce. The Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) with its forest and natural wetlands is a unique biodiversity spot, which harbours 82 endangered species such as the red-crowned crane, Amur leopard and the Siberian tiger. Overall, DMZ is home to about 70 mammalian species, more than 300 birds and about 3,000 plants.
In South Korea, highways that are managed by the provincial governments are called Local highways. Usually route numbers have 2~4 digits; the first digit stands for the main province of its manager.
South Korea, also known as Republic of Korea, is a nation located in East Asia. It is a part of the wider Korean Peninsula, with East, West, and South parts of the nation facing the sea. Numerous wildlife exist on the Korean Peninsula. The characteristics of the wild mammals in Korea is that despite South Korea's small territory, there are many medium and large sized animals. It is natural characteristic that medium and large sized animals require large land and vast amount of food to survive. The characteristic of fauna in South Korea follows the regional aspect that the nation is connected to the wider Eurasian continent, resulting, surviving mammals to also have continental elements.