Discussions on Strengthening Cooperation on Forest Restoration and Disaster Response to Combat Desertification
The Korea Forest Service (KFS) held the “2026 Korea–Mongolia Joint Steering Committee on Forest Cooperation” with the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change of Mongolia (MECC) on May 19 .
The Korea Forest Service (KFS) announced on May 19 that it held the “2026 Korea–Mongolia Joint Steering Committee on Forest Cooperation” with the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change of Mongolia (MECC). The meeting was convened to review the annual achievements of the Korea–Mongolia Greenbelt Project and discuss future directions for bilateral cooperation.
The meeting took place at the conference room of the Korea–Mongolia Greenbelt Project Office in Ulaanbaatar, with the Korean delegation participating virtually. It was co-chaired by NAM Song Hee, Director General of the International Forest Affairs Bureau of the KFS, and Sh. Batbayar, State Secretary of the MECC. Officials from the MECC, the KFS, the Ministry of Economy and Finance, and the Korea–Mongolia Greenbelt Project Office also attended.
Key agenda items included ▲the 2025 project achievements and 2026 implematation plan ▲support for the UNCCD COP and promotion of the Greenbelt Project ▲commemorative events for the 20th anniversary of the Korea–Mongolia Greenbelt Project ▲the agroforestry and ecotourism linkage model at the Lun Soum plantation site ▲plans for transferring project sites after completion of the Phase III.
The ongoing Phase III Korea–Mongolia Greenbelt Project is being implemented from 2022 to 2026 to restore and prevent forest fire damage in Mongolia and establish forest restoration infrastructure. Major activities include restoration of fire-damaged forest in northern Mongolia, establishment of forest fire prevention forests and monitoring facilities, agroforestry and ecotourism projects, and development of nurseries and participatory forests.
In particular, pilot projects for forest fire damage restoration and prevention are being carried out in the Selenge region. At the Lun Soum plantation site, agroforestry activities including seabuckthorn cultivation and ecotourism models linked to local income generation are also being developed.
The two countries also agreed to strengthen promotion of the Greenbelt Project in connection with the UNCCD COP, scheduled to be held in Ulaanbaatar this August. Planned activities include field tour programs at the Lun Soum plantation site, documentary production, before-and-after forest restoration exhibitions, and interactive promotional content.
In addition, a commemorative event marking the 20th anniversary of the Korea–Mongolia Greenbelt Project will be held to share the achievements of bilateral cooperation. Presentations will highlight two decades of cooperation in combating desertification, future cooperation directions, private-sector afforestation initiatives, and Mongolian-style nursery facilities and afforestation technologies.
Since 2007, the KFS and the Government of Mongolia have cooperated on forest initiatives aimed at combating desertification and reducing yellow dust. In recent years, the scope of cooperation has expanded to include climate change response, forest fire management, and the establishment of community-based income generation.
Director General NAM stated, “Korea–Mongolia forest cooperation is evolving beyond desertification prevention and forest restoration into an international cooperation model that simultaneously advances climate crisis response and local community development.” He added, “We will further strengthen project performance management and follow-up cooperation through the transfer of Korea’s advanced forest technologies integrated with ICT.”
Hur Sung-soo
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