“언젠가 북한 문덕습지에서 다 같이 탐조할 날을 기대합니다”

Die Hans Schiedel Foundation, occasionally mistaken for an environmental organization in Germany, conducts bird ecology surveys in neutral waters of the Han River, the DMZ, and North Korea's key wetlands. The foundation, founded in Munich in 1967, aims to promote democracy and peace in developing countries, beginning with a Korean office in 1987 and focusing on North-South environmental cooperation and biodiversity conservation since 2005.

The foundation's director of research, Choi Hyun-ah (47, environmental ecology engineering), explained that "North Korea cannot be excluded from the ecological and climate change response in North Korea and the broader North-East Asia." Germany identified the ecological value of border areas before reunification and subsequently protected them as a natural reserve after reunification.

Choi has been studying biodiversity and North-South environmental cooperation in the inter-Korean border area since 2015, after joining the foundation's endeavors to coordinate research on animal migration.

His interest in North Korea's forestry project led to the foundation's involvement in capacity-building for North Korean forestry experts. The foundation supported a UN initiative to reduce deforestation in developing countries, and Choi highlighted that "North Korea was engaging in a large-scale 'forest restoration campaign' during their period of hardship," allowing for cooperation.

The foundation has focused on the conservation of the Saemangeum wetland, monitoring migratory birds, and the conservation of the endangered Red-crowned crane in North Korea.

Through these efforts, Choi contributed to research on North Korea's environmental policies, marine biodiversity, and changes in red-crowned crane habitats. Despite political tensions, the foundation has seen a revival in inter-Korean communication and cooperation, including signing a new list of wetlands of international importance with North Korea in 2018.

The foundation regularly organizes "Bird Day" events to raise awareness of endangered bird species. However, recent political tensions have limited cooperation. Choi emphasized the importance of international cooperation for global conservation efforts, including the potential inclusion of North Korea's Byeongjeong and Sinpo wetlands on UNESCO's tentative list of World Heritage Sites.