The ROK has multiple domestic laws and protected area designations that should help to protect birds and their habitats. Our nation has also signed several key international conservation agreements. However, many species are in decline and some like the Spoon-billed Sandpiper face extinction in the present decade. There are still few, if any, fully protected areas managed primarily for biodiversity. Much domestic conservation legislation can still be over-ruled by special laws or by zoning that often aims to promote further infrastructural development and in many cases to attract overseas investment.

As a Korean conservation organisation, we believe that the ROK is a great nation. For our nation to remain great, we believe that it is essential to strengthen domestic conservation laws and to honour existing conservation obligations. This includes obligations already held through the Ramsar Convention, the Aichi Biodiversity Targets and the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals. In combination, these conventions and targets will help to ensure future environmental, social and economic sustainability, here in the ROK and globally – for the benefit of everybody.

Since our foundation in 2004, Birds Korea has therefore worked tirelessly to challenge projects that fail to accept such obligations and also to promote projects that are genuinely sustainable. Sustainable development is in the national and global interest.