Although the Korean Peninsula is relatively small compared to other countries, it is composed of various geology from the Precambrian era to the Quaternary period of the Cenozoic era, accompanied by the various landforms such as volcanic, marine, karst, and fluvial landforms. However, the geological heritage has been damaged and destroyed over a long period of time by natural and anthropogenic factors, so it is very important to discover the valuable geological heritage and preserve it for the next generations.

In this session, we will discuss the discovery, values, conservation, and management of geological heritage of the Korean Peninsula as well as its sustainable use for education and tourism in geoparks, national parks and etc. In addition, we will also discuss landforms, ecology, and culture and history associated with geological heritage. It will help us learn the new value of the geological heritage of the Korean Peninsula and see it from a new perspective.

Internationally Designated Areas, such as UNESCO Global Geoparks, World Heritage sites, Biosphere Reserves and Ramsar sites, offer abundant opportunities to realize the objectives of multilateral environmental agreements and to put nature conservation and sustainable development into practice, thereby contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Recently, increasing global interest in these sites has also led to a rapid increase in the number of sites with multiple international designations (Multi-Internationally Designated Areas). These multiple designations can cause difficulties in management and communication of the areas, and even conflicts in relation to fund-raising for the areas.

This session will: