From July 7 to 11, a delegation of Korea National Park Service (KNPS) visited Shennongjia Global Geopark of China. On July 10, Mr. Zhou Senfeng, Secretary of CPC Committee of Shennongjia Forestry District, and Mr. Park Bo Hwan, Chairman of KNPS, signed the Memorandum of Understanding between Administration Bureau of Shennongjia Global Geopark, the People’s Republic of China and National Geoparks Secretariat of Korea, the Republic of Korea on Cooperation in Management, Research and Conservation of Geoparks.

Other signatories of the MOU include Mr. Choi Un Kyu, Director General of Planning & Budget Department of KNPS, Mr. Lee Gyu Seong, Director General of National Geoparks Secretariat of Korea, Mr. Du Haiyang, Mayor of Shennongjia Forestry District, and Mr. Liao Mingyao, Director General of the Administration Bureau of Shennongjia Global Geopark.

Discussion Meeting

Mr. Zhou Senfeng praised at the signing ceremony that Korean National Park system has a history of almost 50 years, and has accumulated rich experience and made outstanding achievements in construction and management of national parks. He hopes KNPS will provide us relevant suggestions. Mr. Zhou also hopes that after signing the MOU, both sides shall organize mutual visits by administrators and tourism enterprises on a regular basis, establish tourism routes and recommend each other’s tourism products to promote mutual development of geo-tourism, and organize mutual visits by experts to share experience in conservation, research and management of geoparks, nature reserves and protected areas.

Mr. Park Bo Hwan responded that this visit to Shennongjia has left the Korean delegation very beautiful memories; Shennongjia Global Geopark has rich resources, advanced infrastructure and perfect management system; Korea has just set its first steps in geopark management, and Shennongjia’s experience will greatly help the development of Korean geoparks; he hopes that after signing the MOU both sides will strengthen communication and mutual visits to share experience; after he returns to Korea he will encourage Jeju Island Global Geopark and Korean national parks to establish sister-park relations with Shennongjia Global Geopark for better cooperation and communication; and he will recommend Shennongjia to major tourism businesses and the people of Korea.

Mr. Wang Daxing, Secretary of the CPC Committee of the Administration Bureau of Shennongjia Global Geopark, hosted the meeting. According to the MOU, the cooperation between two sides will include: exchanges of scientific, technical and environmental information and materials; joint promotion of public relation activities; reciprocal visits and exchange (short-term or longer-term) of administrators or experts; planning, development and implementation of joint projects and programs; setting up the sisterhood relationship, etc.

Other members of the Korean delegation include Mr. Jang Jeong Jae, Secretary to the Chairman of KNPS, Mr. Lee Soo Jae, Chief Research Fellow of Korea Environment Institute, Miss Cho Young Ah, Manager of National Geoparks Secretariat, and Miss Yeom Ho Jung, Deputy Director of Ministry of Security and Public Administration.

Mr. Zhou Senfeng showing Mr. Park Bo Hwan a book about Golden Snub-nosed Monkey

Visiting Shennongjia Nature Museum