The Great King Pine, which perished in the Sogwang-ri Forest Protection Area in Uljin, North Gyeongsang Province. (Image courtesy of Green Korea)
ULJIN, South Korea, Jan. 28 (Korea Bizwire) — The effects of climate change are becoming alarmingly evident in South Korea’s forests, with the iconic Korean red pine, or Geumgangsong, suffering severe declines.
In a troubling sign of the broader crisis, the 600-year-old “Great King Pine,” a national forestry treasure located in the protected forest of Sogwang-ri, Uljin, has succumbed to climate stress.
Environmental group Green Korea reported on January 27, 2025, that the tree, once a towering symbol of resilience, is effectively dead. Its needles have turned brown and gray, fallen off, and the branches are now bare.
The decline began in mid-2024, when the tree exhibited signs of stress following an intense summer heatwave and reduced snowfall, culminating in severe water stress.
The loss of the Great King Pine is emblematic of a wider crisis. Over the past year, seven nearby red pines also died, as the damage spreads across Uljin’s Forest Genetic Resource Reserve.
Green Korea notes that the most vulnerable trees are concentrated at altitudes between 500 and 700 meters, where conditions for the red pine are becoming increasingly hostile due to climate change.
The collective die-off of Korean red pines in Sogwang-ri, Uljin. (Image courtesy of Green Korea)
Widespread Pine Mortality
This is not an isolated issue. Across the Baekdu-daegan mountain range, Nakdong-jeongmaek ecological corridors, and national parks such as Seoraksan and Taebaeksan, collective die-offs of red pines and other tree species have been reported. Even the fir trees of Hallasan, Jeju Island, are suffering similar fates.
A 2023 study by the Korea National Park Service warned that nearly half of Seoraksan’s pines (47.8%) and over a third (38.5%) of Taebaeksan’s could die without urgent intervention. Experts believe these losses highlight the vulnerability of high-altitude ecosystems to rapid climate change.
Cultural and Ecological Significance
The Geumgangsong is not just a tree but a living link to Korea’s history and culture, dating back to the Three Kingdoms era. Its timber is still used for restoring national treasures after a rigorous selection process. Yet its ecological and cultural roles are at risk as climate stressors drive biodiversity loss in forest ecosystems.
Experts and environmental advocates are calling for swift action. Green Korea emphasized the need for special management of red pine habitats in Uljin, Samcheok, and Bonghwa, along with biodiversity-focused climate adaptation strategies for other key habitats in Baekdu-daegan and Nakdong-jeongmaek.
Urgent Need for Climate Adaptation
Conservationists argue that preserving the Geumgangsong requires immediate and proactive measures. These include collecting seeds from healthy specimens to ensure genetic diversity, exploring new areas suitable for red pine growth, and initiating restoration projects.
“The death of the Geumgangsong underscores the biodiversity crisis caused by climate change,” Green Korea stated. “It is crucial to monitor and adapt forest management policies to protect these ecosystems.”
The group further stressed that research into the effects of climate change on biodiversity must guide South Korea’s natural resource and forest conservation strategies. Strengthened management of national parks, ecological corridors, and genetic resource reserves must take precedence to safeguard this living symbol of Korean heritage.
As the Geumgangsong forests face their greatest challenge yet, experts warn that preserving their ecological and cultural legacy will require prioritizing climate resilience as a national policy.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
