SEOUL, May 20 (Korea Bizwire) — As part of an ambitious plan for an “Eco-DMZ Initiative,” Gyeonggi Province will introduce an “ecosystem payment scheme” at the DMZ and civilian access control lines (CACL) which offer the natural benefits of clean water, air, land, tourism and leisure. People are urged to donate a certain amount of money or buy “DMZ Eco Stock” for the benefits, and the collected money will be used for residents and land owners inside the CACL line, who have limited rights, or for local NGOs.
The “Eco-DMZ Initiative” is a movement to establish the DMZ as an environmental protection zone and make it a symbol of inter-Korean peace. The military buffer zone that divides the country in two has became a haven for wildlife, including at least 67 of the world’s most endangered species of birds, mammals, reptiles and insects.
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