opinion

A recent joint research project conducted by scientists from different countries found that the acidity of sea water had already exceeded the limits five years ago. According to the findings, the average pH of the oceans of the world had already reached the critical value of acidification in 2020.

If the sea is acidified, it will not only destroy the marine ecosystems and damage aquaculture but also pollutes the environment and causes harm to human health.

Also serious is the damage caused by the continuous flow of waste into the sea. Plastic waste has been discovered in the stomachs of dead sea turtles and whales in recent years, further highlighting the danger of marine pollution.

Protecting and multiplying marine resources and ensuring its ecological environment are a very urgent issue related to human activities for existence.

A variety of programmes have been undertaken to protect the marine ecological environment in the DPRK.

The natural, geographical and marine ecological environment of our country is very favourable for introducing eco-friendly offshore farming methods.

As sunlight comes all the way down to the bottom in the coastal waters of the East Sea of Korea, photosynthesis of seaweeds is very active and especially they are highly productive because the inflow of nutrient salts from the land is relatively higher than the deep sea. The waters off the West Sea of Korea are rich in nutrient salts as many rivers and streams, big and small, empty into them and the intertidal zones have very rich biodiversity due to the influence of high and low tide.

In particular, aquatic animal and plant resources such as abalone, sea cucumber and sea urchin have grown in large quantities naturally in the waters off Ragwon County from long ago as the sea water is clear and there are no sources of pollution there. Recently an offshore farm and modern residential district of the fishing village have wonderfully been built in the county.

The law on marine ecological environmental protection of the DPRK was adopted in August to make effective use of marine resources and positively protect the marine ecological environment.

The DPRK has designated the waters that are rich in species of sea life or on which rare and endangered species are concentrated, those that are well known for their diversity of natural landscape and others as marine nature reserves like marine resources reserve, marine nature park and marine scenic spot reserve and actively protects their ecological environment.

Renewable energy resources including wind and solar energy and the rainwater storing and using method, sewage recycling method, seawater desalination technology and others are preferentially introduced on islands and in their surrounding waters.

The months for the protection and management of coastal ecological environment have been designated including the month for coastal and territorial waters management and the month for the protection of marine resources to carry out the work as a social and all-people movement.

The campaign to actively protect and propagate marine resources and improve the marine ecosystems will gain momentum.