South Korea turns to ocean ecosystems for carbon cuts

May 28 (Asia Today) -- South Korea is accelerating efforts to use tidal flats, seagrass and seaweed as carbon sinks as the country looks beyond forests for ways to meet its climate goals.

The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries is expanding its "blue carbon" strategy, moving the focus of carbon neutrality from land-based forests and trees to marine ecosystems that absorb and store carbon.

Blue carbon refers to carbon captured by coastal and marine ecosystems such as salt marshes, seagrass beds and mangroves. South Korea is seeking wider international recognition for tidal flats and seaweed, which are central to the country's coastal environment but are not yet fully reflected in global carbon accounting standards.

The ministry said Wednesday it is pursuing tidal flat restoration, expansion of marine protected areas, underwater forest projects and research aimed at measuring the carbon absorption capacity of marine ecosystems.

The effort is part of a broader policy introduced in 2023 to support South Korea's 2030 national emissions reduction target and its 2050 carbon neutrality road map.

Tidal flat restoration is a key part of the plan. The ministry is working to restore damaged tidal flats, including abandoned salt farms, to rebuild their capacity to store organic matter in sediment over long periods.

This year, the ministry finalized its second basic plan for the management and restoration of tidal flats, laying out a long-term framework for more systematic protection and recovery.

Marine protected areas are another major part of the strategy. The ministry plans to designate areas with high biodiversity or strong carbon storage functions as protected zones to prevent damage to marine ecosystems and preserve their ability to absorb carbon.

The government also is expanding underwater forest projects that restore marine ecosystems by planting and managing seaweed such as Ecklonia cava and Sargassum. Seaweed absorbs carbon dioxide through photosynthesis and can help restore fishing grounds damaged by coastal degradation and rising water temperatures.

The ministry has also focused on building the scientific basis for blue carbon. Since 2017, it has supported research and development to collect data and calculate carbon absorption factors for existing blue carbon sources.

More recently, researchers have studied tidal flats, seaweed and subtidal sediments as potential new blue carbon sources. The work is aimed at identifying how they absorb and store carbon and developing internationally accepted calculation methods.

The research is tied to South Korea's goal of including its marine ecosystems in national greenhouse gas accounting and future international carbon markets.

At present, globally recognized blue carbon sources are largely limited to mangroves, salt marshes and seagrass beds. South Korea's tidal flats and large seaweed habitats remain outside full international recognition as official carbon sinks.

The ministry has strengthened cooperation with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change to change that.

South Korea has participated in expert meetings, hosted side events and international forums and called for tidal flats, seaweed and subtidal sediments to be recognized as new blue carbon resources.

At the 63rd session of the climate panel in October, tidal flats, seaweed and subtidal sediments were included among new blue carbon-related items under discussion for future methodology work.

In January, two South Korean researchers were selected as authors for a climate panel methodology report scheduled for release in 2027. The report is expected to serve as a standard international guide for carbon calculation.

If tidal flats and seaweed gain recognition under the U.N. climate framework, South Korea could use its extensive tidal flats, underwater forest projects and seaweed cultivation technology to expand its verified carbon reduction record.

The ministry also expects blue carbon to create new economic value by linking marine ecosystem restoration with future carbon markets.

"We will continue to identify new blue carbon resources such as plankton," a ministry official said. "We will actively participate in international organizations and host international forums so new blue carbon resources can be recognized as official carbon sinks."

-- Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

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Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260527010007985

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This story was originally published May 28, 2026 at 4:26 PM.