SEOUL — The long confrontation on either side of the 4-kilometer-wide Demilitarized Zone separating North and South Korea has brought an ecological bonus: a rare glimpse into how the animal kingdom not only survives but thrives when left alone.
Latest evidence of the success of wildlife when allowed to live without fear of shot, shell, construction or soil depletion is a study by South Korean researchers showing that 11 species of relatively rare birds and animals are doing just fine within the narrow confines of the unexploited earth that’s held North and South Korean forces at bay since the Korean War.
The United Nations Command gave the team an unprecedented permit to survey 1,200 hectares inside the zone, according to lead researcher Kim Kui-Gon.
Kim said his study paralleled one that North Korean researchers conducted on their side of the line through the middle of the zone many years ago with funds provided by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Eventually, he said, research by his team may lead to cooperation by the two Koreas.
Kim’s team will continue studying the 1,200 hectares opened to research by the UN Command until November. So far, the team has found rich varieties of eagle owls, golden eagles, kestrels and white-naped cranes.
The 248-kilometer-long DMZ, covering a total of 907 square kilometers, provides a home for 2,716 species of plants and animals in areas ranging from dense forests, to open grass, to swamps descending to the sea at both ends.
