Hello, fellow ambassadors and all the Eco-Generation members. This is the ambassador of Republic of Korea. As this is my first ambassador report for Eco-Generation, I would like to introduce the general environment of our country.

       So, I will start my report with the explanation of the environment of Korea. Korea has achieved a remarkable development during the last sixty years. After the ceasefire of Korean War, we had a rapid advancement in many aspects, including the economy. Korea is even called as 'The Miracle of Han River' because of its successful development. However, due to the industrialization and urbanization, the resultant environmental impact, including water scarcity and excessive carbon emission, has been detrimental. Our government is putting lots of effort on renewable energy to save the Earth. Indeed, research has shown that the Korean government is actively seeking to increase the share of renewable energy (from 2.7 per cent in 2009 to 3.78 per cent in 2013).

       While discussing the environment of Korea, we cannot forget Demilitarized Zone, which can be abbreviated as DMZ. DMZ is vicinity of 38^th parallel (the ceasefire line between DPRK and ROK) and it is approximately 250 kilometers long and 4 kilometers wide. Since the access of DMZ is banned heavily, the environment is well-preserved and contains various biodiversity. Lots of organisms including endangered animals inhabit in this area. I believe that this region shows that human activities are highly harmful to the environment.

       While researching about the environment of Republic of Korea I could find interesting information. I found the 'Environmental Doomsday Clock' of the world and Korea. 'Environmental Doomsday Clock' is a clock that represents the countdown of global catastrophe due to the environmental problems. The following picture represents the 'Environmental Doomsday Clock' of the world.

       For Korea, the 'Environmental Doomsday Clock' was pointing 9:19 in 2013. Korea started with 7:49 in 1992, and it reached its peak in 2008, representing 9:33. But fortunately, the time has been gradually decreasing since then, and I believe that this data shows the fact our country Korea is working hard to save the Earth! :)

       In fact, Korea is trying to lessen environmental problems. For instance, government adopted 'Five-Year Plan for Green Growth' in 2009. In 2014, Korea started the 'Secondary Five-Year Plan for Green Growth' for the environment. They are planning to reduce the use of carbon and emission of greenhouse gas. I believe that these efforts should be continued worldwide.