A Basic Study on a Plan to Improve the Management of the Maritime or Coastal National Parks Based on the Change of the National Park Zoning and the Establishment of the Use-specific Districts
The national parks of South Korea take up an area of 6,726 km2, which accounts for 6.7% of the national land. They are national conservation areas with their area made up of 59.1% of land (3,972.6 km2) and 40.9% of seawaters (2,753.7 km2). And in 2019, the national parks are classified by type into 17 mountainous, 4 maritime or coastal, and 1 historical site. Here, the maritime or coastal nation parks are lately spotlighted as landmarks in maritime tourism. However, the area of the maritime or coastal national parks is continuously dwindling due to conflicts between the residents in the parks and Korea national park service, the continued pressure with respect to the regional tourism development and private investments, and the abolition of parks in relation to allegedly breached private properties. This study identifies the issues with the operation and management of national parks as caused by the abolition of parks and the reduction of areas, and goes from there to do research with the aim of suggesting an institutionalized improvement plan with a view to more useful operation and management of the maritime or coastal national parks. As a result, the natural resources in the sea and on land should be surveyed again to establish the standard for use-specific zoning and reorganize the park areas in adjusting the national park areas. Second, the use-specific districts need to be reviewed for their reorganization that meets the designation requirements by focusing on the characteristics of the different national parks with a view to ensuring reasonable natural conservation in the maritime or coastal national parks. Third, various support facilities for residents such as public path, lodgings, and rentals need to be created to reduce the conflicts between Korea national park service and those who live in the parks.