The Korea Forest Service is taking steps to help restore forests in Central and South America as it seeks to expand its global outreach.

A team of Korea Forest Service officials led by Minister Choi Byeong-am visited El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Peru in late January, and agreed to cooperate more closely to restore forests in those countries, the KFS said.

The KFS delegation’s visit comes as a follow-up to the summit talks between President Moon Jae-in and US President Joe Biden in May last year.

In a joint statement issued after the summit, Korea promised to increase its financial contribution for development cooperation with the Northern Triangle countries of Central America to $220 million by 2024, and expand environmental cooperation with Latin American and Caribbean countries.

The KFS team’s trip was also a follow-up measure to the 26th United Nations Climate Change conference held in November to protect and restore forests in Central and South American countries that are vulnerable to climate change, and to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.

The delegation signed agreements on forestry cooperation with El Salvador and Guatemala; discussed Official Development Assistance for El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras; discussed ways to use a Korea trust fund at the Central American Bank for Economic Integration; bolstered cooperation with Peru for climate control and restoration of the Amazon; and encouraged the countries to take part in the 15th World Forestry Congress in Korea in May.

The KFS inked MOUs for forestry cooperation with Honduras on the sidelines of the UN Climate Change conference in November, and with El Salvador and Guatemala in January, laying the groundwork for stable execution of ODA projects in the future.

Under the MOUs, the KFS will work together with the three countries for sustainable forestry management and restoration; research and development on climate control and forestry; prevention and monitoring of forest disasters; as well as donation of seeds.

Located in the dry corridor, a tropical dry forest region on the Pacific Coast of Central America, the three countries in northern Central America are prone to extreme droughts, torrential rain, floods and forest fires.

KFS Minister Choi discussed ODA project plans for Honduras with Mario Antonio Martinez Padilla, minister director of the Central American country’s Institute of Forest Conservation, during their meeting on Jan. 25.

They agreed on the importance of forest restoration and sustainable management in Honduras, and shared views on the envisioned ODA projects.

Choi also met with Dante Mossi, executive president of the CABEI, on Jan. 25, and requested for Central American countries’ interest and support regarding the use of the Korea Trust Fund at the bank.

Mossi agreed that forestry cooperation in Central America was highly necessary, and said he will positively consider KFS’ proposal.

On Jan. 21, Choi visited the Peruvian National Forest and Wildlife Service, and signed the MOU for forestry cooperation, making Peru the 37th country the KFS has established bilateral ties with.

“We are delighted to have set the basis for forestry cooperation with Peru, which has the world’s fourth largest tropical forest rich in biodiversity,” Choi said.

“As a country that has rebuilt its bare territory and successfully restored forests, Korea is ready to be a role model of forest restoration for developing nations such as Peru.”

Choi explained how the KFS was carrying out REDD+, a project for forestry conservation and restoration, in Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar, and expressed an intent to proceed with REDD+ in Peru as well.

Levin Evelin Rojas Melendez, executive director of Peru’s National Forest and Wildlife Service, said the South American country has keen interest in Korea’s successful model of forest restoration, and that her agency will do its best to support bilateral cooperation for REDD+ as well as private investment in reforestation.

Choi asked Peru and Honduras to send ministers to attend the World Forestry Congress, which will be held from May 2-6 at Coex in Seoul, and give presentations, and the forestry chiefs of the two countries said they will positively consider.

Based on the results of a preliminary feasibility study on ODA for the three northern Central American countries, the KFS is in talks with relevant ministries to secure funds and proceed with projects, and plans to begin a feasibility study on REDD+ across multiple countries in Central and South America.

By Kim So-hyun (sophie@heraldcorp.com) and Lee Kwon-hyung (kwonhl@heraldcorp.com)