Why “Gariwangsan” is an issue that everyone should know about

Before and after image of the Pyeongchang Winter games

Before the Pyeongchang Olympics in 2018, Gariwangsan was known for its beautiful landscape with unique animals and plants. However, this captivating mountain was cut down for an 8-day festival. The government promised to restore Gariwangsan right after the winter games with specific plans completed before. However, 4 years have passed and the restoration process has not yet begun.

Gariwangsan was originally not planned to be made as a ski resort. The mountain was a Forest genetic resource conservation, thus making it impossible for any civilians to take advantage of the mountain. People could not access the mountain making it a favorable habitat for endangered animals, consisting of Otters, Flying Squirrels, Lynxes, and Yellow-throated marten. It was also known as a “natural seed bank” because of the number of unique plants and trees. Furthermore, there were many exotic plants, and because the mountain has a specific structure. The geological structure makes the environment bracing during the summer and warm during the winter.

Ironically, Gariwangsan was cut down after the Korean government had to make a ski course that fits the FIS(International Ski Federation) for a downhill course. The regulation states that every downhill course must have an elevation difference of more than 800m, an average slope steeper than 17°, and the full course should be longer than 3km. Overall, 58,000 trees were cut off which is approximately 78.3 hectares. Despite removing only 3% of the whole mountain, the landscaping was fundamental in causing a trophic cascade. for the Gariwangsan’s ecosystem.

The conflict between the Korean government and the environmental activist groups has been long sustained. The environmental activist groups primarily assert that the government should hurry the restoration process regardless of its immense costs. Experts predict that it will take nearly 7.7 million dollars to fully restore Gariwangsan. On the other hand, the government claims that the cable car should be kept as it brings revenue. The central government and the province of Gangwon have been avoiding responsibility, further delaying the restoration of Gariwangsan.

Some may argue that it is already late to restore and the restoration process is a multi-million-dollar project with little meaning to it. However, even with these hardships, the central government and the Gangwon-do province must get on with the restoration project.

The issue regarding Gariwangsan is not simply a mountain that has been cut down. It was cut down for a festival that lasted only 8 days. Gariwangsan’s ski course is nearly impossible to use as a ski resort because of how steep it is, thus there is no use after the Olympics. The government shows mere effort in the restoration process which enrages people. The purpose of the Olympics is to celebrate and strive for world peace through sports. However, leaving a deleterious impact on the environment is not reasonable at all and loses its purpose of striving for world peace.

In a time when global pollution is a very prominent issue, cutting down Gariwangsan was the wrong choice to make in the first place. With many foreign governments making efforts to reverse pollution, the Korean government is doing the exact opposite.

In the 1960s, South Korea’s rapid development was heavily based on energy-intensive industries, which were fueled by coal. The main source of energy used in South Korea is nuclear power plants. The government is moving toward carbon neutrality, but this plan is facing hardships. According to the World Economic Forum, South Korea is ranked 29th out of 31 countries and 49th out of 115 countries on the Global Energy Transition index(numerical value on how much a country can produce renewable energy).

In conclusion, the South Korean government should put more focus on environmental issues because it is a predominant issue that everyone should care about. Furthermore, South Koreans should be more informed of these issues because this problem is becoming consequential.