In regards to environmental pollution, South Korea has the highest level among the 38 OECD countries. With a population density of 492 people per square kilometer, it ranks third in the world, with more than half of the population living in the Seoul metropolitan area, which accounts for 11.8% of the land area. Therefore, since the population density of the metropolitan area is 4,169, the environmental pollution problem has a characteristic proportional to the population, so it is natural that the environmental pollution level is high. In addition, it is calculated that urban land will take 3,838 km (1,300 times the area of Yeouido) over the next 20 years, and 65 times the area of Yeouido will be developed as a residential or industrial complex every year. Accordingly, the forest area is decreasing by 78 km, and the tidal flat by 36 km every year, indicating how serious the environmental damage in Korea is.
Moreover, the amount of waste that pollutes the environment is nine times that of the United States, four times that of fertilizer and pesticide, and eight times that of sulfur dioxide is emitted, so the seriousness of environmental pollution is bound to intensify day by day. As a result of the above, the average temperature of Earth has risen by 0.74 degrees Celsius over the past 100 years, but Korea has risen by 1.5 degrees Celsius, twice as much as this. If Korea's warming trend continues as it is, greenhouse gases could double from the current level by 2030, raising the temperature on the Korean Peninsula to up to 4 degrees Celsius. Accordingly, it is expected that all crops and fruits will lead to a decrease in production by more than 30%.
If the temperature of the Earth rises by 1 degree Celsius, the location conditions of the ecosystem change by 100 kilometers. If the temperature in Korea rises by 4 degrees Celsius in the next 20 years, the location conditions of the ecosystem will change by 400 kilometers. In other words, the ecosystem in Busan will move north to Seoul. Ecosystems are connected by food chains, so when the ecosystem is relocated, creatures that cannot move may disappear. The Korean Peninsula is affected by climate change, and various environmental pollution issues are present.
The environment can be divided into a geographical environment and a social environment. Geographic environment refers to an objectively and physically given environment. It can be seen that the components of the geographical environment interact to form a unity. In other words, it generally refers to the natural appearance of the natural environment. On the other hand, the social environment refers to the inclusion of ideas, values, and human behavior. It is formed by humans and appears differently depending on the times and society. Pedagogy explains that although it is unclear which environment human behavior is more affected, changing the social environment is more important to human life than changing the natural environment.
Geographical environment Further information: Environment of South Korea
Coast
Three-sided sea South Korea occupies the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula, which extends some 1,100 km (680 mi) from the Asian mainland. This mountainous peninsula is flanked by the Yellow Sea to the west, and the Sea of Japan to the east. Its southern tip lies on the Korea Strait and the East China Sea.
The country, including all its islands, lies between latitudes 33° and 39°N, and longitudes 124° and 130°E. Its total area is 100,032 square kilometers (38,622.57 square miles).
South Korea can be divided into four general regions – an eastern region of high mountain ranges and narrow coastal plains: a western region of broad coastal plains, river basins, and rolling hills; a southwestern region of mountains and valleys; and a southeastern region dominated by the broad basin of the Nakdong River. South Korea is home to three terrestrial ecoregions: Central Korean deciduous forests, Manchurian mixed forests, and Southern Korea evergreen forests.
South Korea's terrain is mostly mountainous, most of which is not arable. Lowlands, located primarily in the west and southeast, make up only 30% of the total land area.
About three thousand islands, mostly small and uninhabited, lie off the western and southern coasts of South Korea. Jeju is about 100 kilometers off the southern coast of South Korea. It is the country's largest island, with an area of 1,845 square kilometers (712 square miles). Jeju is also the site of South Korea's highest point: Hallasan, an extinct volcano, reaches 1,950 meters (6,400 feet) above sea level. The easternmost islands of South Korea include Ulleungdo and Liancourt Rocks, while Marado and Socotra Rock are the southernmost islands of South Korea.
Mountainous areas
East high and West low Korea is high in the east and low in the west. During the Cenozoic era, the crust spread widely on both sides in the middle of the Sea of Japan, and at this time, the land of Korea rose up under the power transmitted horizontally transmitted. In this process, the east rose higher than the west, forming the current topography of Donggo West. The Nangrim Mountains and Taebaek Mountains, which stretch north and south along the east coast, were also created during this period. And the high, rugged mountains, hills, and valleys developed widely around the two mountains.
If you go east along the Yeongdong Expressway, which runs from Incheon to Gangneung, and enter Gangwon Province, we can meet several tunnels. The reason why there are many tunnels is because of the topography of the east and west. There are many high and rough mountains in Gangwon-do in the east, so we had to make a tunnel through holes in the mountain to make a road. So tunnels are concentrated in the east, where there are many mountainous areas in Korea.
The topography of Donggo West and West also affected the flow of rivers. Since water flows from high to low, most rivers in Korea start from the east and flow to the west. South Korea's Han River, Geumgang River, and Yeongsan River, as well as North Korea's Daedong River and Yalu River, flow west. It also affected the development of the plains. Because plains are developed in the downstream of the river, the plains are spread out in the downstream of the river in the west.
Jirisan. Jirisan is a mountain located in the southern region of South Korea. It is the second-tallest mountain in South Korea after Jeju Island's Hallasan, and the tallest mountain in mainland South Korea. The 1915 m-high mountain is located in Jirisan National Park. The park spans three provinces (North, South Jeolla and South Gyeongsang) and is the largest in South Korea. The largest proportion of the national park is in the province of South Gyeongsang. The highest peak of the mountain, Cheonwangbong is also located in this province. Another well-known peak is Samshin-bong (Three Spirits Peak). Jirisan is at the southern end of the Sobaek and Baekdudaegan mountain ranges, the "spine" of the Korean Peninsula incorporating the Sobaek mountain range and most of the Taebaek mountain range. There are seven major Buddhist temples on Jirisan. Hwaeomsa is the largest and best-known temple among these. It contains several national treasures, mostly stone artworks from about 600–900 CE. The mountain is also home to the Cheonghak-dong (Azure Crane Village) alpine valley, which includes the Samseonggung (Three Sages Palace), which is a site celebrating one of Korea's foundation myths. Every year, more than 280,000 people visit Jirisan. Summer and autumn are the most popular visiting seasons. The mountain is advertised as having ten scenic views. These are 'Sunrise from Cheonwang-bong peak', 'Nogodan Sea of Clouds', 'Banyabong's Nakjo', 'Full moon at Byukso-ryung', 'Piagol Autumn Leaves', 'Royal Azalea Blossoming', 'Chilseon Valley', 'Seomjincheongryu', 'Buril water fall', 'Yeonha-Sunkyung'. Jirisan National Park has several hiking routes. Hallasan. Located on Jeju Island, the largest island in Korea, it is the highest mountain (1,947 m above sea level) within the effective territory of the Republic of Korea. It is one of the national parks of Korea. The entire national park has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. And it is an active volcano at sea within the territory of effective control of the Republic of Korea. If you interpret the name, it means pulling the canal (the Milky Way, or the high sky), which means that it is a mountain high enough to hold the Milky Way. Along with Geumgangsan Mountain and Jirisan Mountain, it is considered one of the Three Gods of Korea. Seoraksan. Seoraksan is a mountain with an altitude of 1,708 m that spans Sokcho-si, Yangyang-gun, Inje-gun, and Goseong-gun, Gangwon-do. In Korea, it is the second-highest mountain after Hallasan and Jirisan. It was named like this because snow began to fall around Chuseok and melts only in summer. Seoraksan's natural protection area is rich in geological, topographic, animal, and plant resources to be specially preserved, and the scenery is very beautiful. In addition, since it is one of Korea's representative mountains with many cultural heritages such as traditional temples, the entire Seoraksan is designated and protected as a natural monument. Taebaeksan. Taebaeksan is a national mountain that rises in the center of Baekdu-daegan Range, and is a root mountain that becomes a lifeline south of the Korean Peninsula, where the Han River, Nakdong River, and Osipcheon Stream in Samcheok originate. Taebaeksan consists of Yeongbong Peak (1,560 m), Janggunbong Peak (1567 m) in the north, Munsubong Peak (1,517 m) in the east, and Busebong Peak (1,546 m) between Yeongbong Peak and Munsubong Peak, and the highest peak is Hambaeksan (1,572 m). Many alpine plants grow naturally at the top of Taebaeksan. In particular, it is famous as one of the most prominent colonies in Korea, and in spring, azalea colonies greet hikers, and in summer, dense trees and cold and clean valley water are enough to forget the midsummer heat, and in autumn, it is decorated with colorful autumn leaves, and winter is made up of a magnificent land. In addition, the sunrise from the top is beautiful, and you can see the Sea of Japan far away on a clear day is also a pride of Taebaeksan.
The four major rivers in South Korea
In Korean rivers, the watershed is biased toward the east coast, so the rivers flowing into the Sea of Japan are short and there are many rapid currents, but the rivers flowing west or southwest are gentle and long. Usually, rivers flow through the old valley and semi-plain to form an extremely gentle equilibrium river, and erosion basins, floodplains, and natural embankments are developed in the middle and downstream due to long-term erosion, and there are many places that form a river terrace in the upper stream. Due to the uneven distribution of precipitation according to the season, it is difficult to develop and use the river due to the large change in rainfall, especially due to the heavy rains in the summer, which accumulates in the lower part of the river, causing frequent flooding.
There are four major rivers in Korea: the Han River, the Nakdong River, the Geumgang River, and the Yeongsan River. Korea's national rivers are classified into five areas, including the Seomjin River, but they are excluded from the small amount of Seomjin River. When dividing the national rivers into five areas, it is not consistent with the water system, such as Anseongcheon Stream entering the Han River area.