Celebrating 25 Years of Action for Biodiversity

In 2017, a total of 49,027 species were recorded, representing a 72 per cent increase compared to the first national survey’s outcome in 1996 [ ] 186 Sharing information on indigenous species Since its inception, NIBR has contrib- uted to national policy development and international cooperation by es- tablishing national databases on Ko- rean biodiversity. It has also provided biodiversity education programmes and exhibitions for public awareness. NIBR maintains a National Species List, based on species information from scientific journals and academic publications. The collected species in- formation is reviewed by the National Biodiversity Committee and is con- solidated and published as a series. It is freely available to the general public in paper and electronic form. The National Biodiversity Informa- tion Sharing System also provides the current status of Korean indigenous species so that people can search for specific information on each species. In particular, the National Species List covers all species that are subject to or require national management. The establishment of the National Species List is designated as a national task in accordance with Article 10 of the Act on the Conservation and Use of Biological Diversity. A search interface contains precise data on scientific names, common names and taxonomic orders of each species for institutions, academics and the general public, to reduce incorrect identification of Korean indigenous species. The list also provides Korean Taxonomic Serial Numbers (KTSNs) for efficient management of biological resources at the national level, offering the basis for effective and consistent implementation of international legal instruments such as the Nagoya Pro- tocol on Access and Benefit-sharing. Research has taken place on a national scale over the last 12 years to discover new and unrecorded species in Korea, with the investment of about 50 billion Korean won. Over 300 researchers participated in this research, which identified 13,578 new and unrecorded candidate species. There was a particular focus on species such as insects, invertebrates, algae, and protozoa, which had been relatively undiscovered due to a lack of professional researchers and funds. E stablished under the Ministry of Environment in 2007, the National Institute of Biological Resources (NIBR) researches and manages Korean biological resources. Through nationwide surveys and research, NIBR identified a total of 49,027 Korean indigenous species in 2017, twice as many as in the 1996 biodiversity status (28,462 species). As part of the country’s ongoing efforts to implement its National Biodiversity Strategy, the Republic of Korea has made this information available in a national biodiversity information sharing system, contributing to global efforts to conserve biodiversity and achieve the Aichi Biodiversity Targets. National park Arnie Chou on Unsplash Republic of Korea