Kathmandu : The Republic of Korea (RoK) has expressed interest in collaborating with Nepal in forest and environment sector. The South Korean government has expressed its interest in financially and technically assisting Nepal in regard with latter’s efforts meant for the conservation and expansion of forest area and environment protection.
RoK Ambassador for Nepal, Park Yong -Sik today called on Minister for Forest and Environment Shakti Bahadur Basnet with a proposal towards that end. In the meeting held at latter’s office, the Minister said latest report showed that around 45 per cent of the total area of the country is covered by forest.
On the occasion, he recalled the moment when the international community expressed their concern some years ago whether Nepal would turn into a desert land. “In the recent time, Nepal achieved a noticeable success in the forest and environment protection efforts,” the Minister apprised the South Korean Ambassador. “The latest data about the tiger population in Nepal also indicates the same.”
He went on to say that Nepal was in the phase of infrastructure development and the government and the ministry had the policy of moving ahead by maintaining a balance between the development and environment. With the expansion of forest area in Nepal, the government had planned to go for non-timber and carbon trading.
Ambassador Yong-Sik said South Korea had expanded the forest area on empty land and developing countries including Nepal could follow the same model. The Korean government is ready to assist Nepal under its greenery promotion progamme, according to him. RSS
