In 1995, the export value of forest products was $505 million, and its share was 0.4% of the total value of export. The main export item in forestry is chestnut, pine mushroom, oak mushroom, and plywood. The plywood export quantity increased 70% compared to 1994. The export value is also increased 22%. The value of wood and wooden exports is $70,940 thousand, and it decreased 3%. The main export country is Japan, its share is 77%. In 1995, the total value exported to Japan is $388 million.
The total import value of forestry products was $2,779 million, and its share among the total import of $135,118 million was 2.1% in 1995. The main import items are logs, sawn timber, plywood and by non-forest products such as oak mushroom. The trend of wood and wooden products imports is the same with the past. Log imports decreased from Malaysia, USA, and increased from New Zealand and Chile. The log imports by country are as follows: New Zealand is 3,003 thousand cubic metres, Chile is 1,539 thousand cubic metres, USA is 803 thousand cubic metres, PNG is 736 thousand cubic metres, Russia is 730 thousand cubic metres, Malaysia is 656 thousand cubic metres. The import of sawn timber is 1,016 thousand cubic metres, and it increased from 886 thousand cubic metres in 1994. 468 thousand cubic metres imported from Malaysia, USA is 195 thousand cubic metres, New Zealand is 61 thousand cubic metres, Canada is 55 thousand cubic metres, Indonesia is 53 thousand cubic metres. The import of plywood decreased from Indonesia, and increased from Malaysia. The import amount from Indonesia was 836 thousand cubic metres.
Table 41. Import of major forest products
Classification |
Unit |
1980 |
1985 |
1990 |
1995 |
Total value |
1,000$ |
912,087 |
629,406 |
1,721,23 9 |
2,778,983 |
Wood sub-total value Round log quantity value Lumber quantity value Plywood quantity value Rubberwood value |
1,000$ 1,000 m3 1,000$ 1,000 m3 1,000$ 1,000 m3 1,000$ 1,000$ |
899,155 6,141 858,228 144 7,535 23 14,357 19,035 |
589,631 5,578 479,356 169 29,179 11 5,059 76,037 |
1,605,06 0 8,285 990,474 691 166,661 735 256,164 191,761 |
2,596,257 8,229 1,047,332 1,016 408,530 1,307 593,861 546,534 |
Bamboo quantity value |
M/T 1,000$ |
24,324 4,380 |
7,953 1,487 |
5,499 1,110 |
621 511 |
Others value |
1,000$ |
8,552 |
38,288 |
74,472 |
182,215 |
Source: Statistical Yearbook of Foreign Trade
A total of 25 Korean companies have participated and invested in the overseas forestry development in 15 countries up to 1996. Their forest concession forest area is 4,084 thousand ha in 7 countries, and plywood production capacities is 597 thousand cubic metres per year. Sawn wood is 420 thousand cubic metres, and woodchip is 520 thousand cubic metres per year. They also planted the seedlings in 11.6 thousand ha. The total overseas forestry investment was $229.2 million up to 1995.
Korea's role in global forestry can be broadly summarized in three categories:
i. Korea is famous for the artificial reforestation for timber and conservation in a short period, and it could be the model for the reforestation in the developing tropical countries. Korea has supported the developing countries by training of forest officials from developing countries, and also KOICA (Korea International Cooperation Agency) has dispatched forest experts to developing countries.
ii. Korea has imported a lot of timber (more than 90% of total demand) from abroad, and in 1970s and 1980s, exported a lot of plywood which manufactured from tropical logs imported from Asian countries.
iii. Korea will continue to import a lot of timber and timber products from abroad in the 21st century, and try to import the timber from sustainable forests.
Table 42. Overseas Forestry investment of Korean companies
Country |
No. of companies |
Year |
Amount of Investment |
Size by type Forest Forest Chip Plantation concession industry area | |||
|
Total 15 Indonesia Malaysia Solomon P.N.G. Fiji Myanmar U.S.A. Russia Guyana Cambodia Australia Vietnam Chile China Nicaragua |
25 7 4 1 2 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 2 1 2 1 |
68-95 83-91 88-95 81-92 89 91 91 90-95 92 92 93 93 93 94-95 95 |
1,000$ 229,228 43,340 5,470 32,500 46,150 600 4,034 4,515 17,500 3,600 1,965 17,853 6,239 1,900 2,695 43,937 |
1,000 ha 4,084 835 - 365 285 17 - - 846 1,670 - - - - - 66 |
1,000m3/y 1,198.5 477.0 106.0 16.0 92.0 7.2 22 30 196 193 24 - 13 24 4.3 4 |
1,000 m3/y 520 - - - - - - - - - - - 294 - 120 - |
1,000 ha 11.6 5.6 - 0.4 - - - - - - - 2.3 1.7 - - 1.2 |
Source: Forestry Administration
International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO)
Korea became a member of the ITTO when ITTO was established in 1986. Korea is one of major consumer countries. At the 16th session of the Council Korea was elected as Vice-chair for 1995 and to be Chairman in 1996 of Permanent Committee of Forestry Industry of ITTO.
International initiatives for sustainable management of forests
Korea is playing an active role in international working groups seeking to develop criteria and indicators for the sustainable management of the world's forests, especially the Montreal Process. Korea has been actively involved in the range of initiatives for which it is eligible including FAO's Ministerial meeting and COFO, Intergovernmental Panel on Forests. The 9th meeting of Montreal Process will be scheduled to open in Seoul.
Climate Change
Korea Government has participated the Framework Convention on Climate Change and has introduced a number of policy measures which are expected to limit CO2.
Biological diversity
Korea has surveyed the biological diversity in Korean Peninsula, and participated in the Convention on Biological Diversity.
