KFS Shares Forest Cooperation Achievements in Asia and Expands Use of Advanced Technologies

The Korea Forest Service (KFS) is set to participate in the 2026 AFoCO Annual Technical Workshop, held at the Seoul Garden Hotel on October 26-27, to evaluate the progress of forest cooperation projects across Asia and explore the expansion of international cooperation using advanced technologies like satellite data and artificial intelligence (AI).

The Asia Forest Cooperation Organization (AFoCO) is an intergovernmental treaty body dedicated to enhancing forest collaboration and promoting sustainable management practices to combat climate change impacts. An estimated 100 attendees, including KFS officials and representatives from 15 member countries, alongside stakeholders from the Green Climate Fund (GCF), Global Carbon Council (GCC), research institutions, and private companies, will convene at the workshop.

The event will showcase the outcomes and best practices of 26 forest cooperation projects, of which 18 were supported by the KFS via Official Development Assistance (ODA). Key discussion areas encompass forest restoration and conservation, improving local community incomes through the circular bioeconomy, disaster management, biodiversity preservation, and agroforestry.

Participants will exchange experiences from initiatives such as addressing forest fires in Mongolia, restoration and livelihood improvements for Cambodian communities, and community-led forest restoration in Laos.

On the second day, the focus will shift to enhancing forest carbon project development using forest data and cutting-edge technologies. The GCF and GCC will present policies and methodologies concerning international carbon markets and forest carbon projects. The National Forest Satellite Information & Technology Center along with Korean climate technology firms will present case studies on satellite data utilization and AI-based carbon MRV technologies.

KFS Acting Director-General for International Affairs, Lee Hyun-ju, emphasized that this workshop presents a critical opportunity to share the successes and experiences of forest cooperation projects in Asian nations while exploring future cooperation paths. She underscored KFS's commitment to bolstering forest management capabilities in member countries and broadening practical projects tied to international climate finance by leveraging Korea's expertise in forest restoration and advanced technologies like satellite data and AI.