The Tumen River has its headwater at Mt. Baiktu in the Changbai Mountain Range (which is called Baiktu Daegan Mountain Range by Korean) and flows into the Peter Great Bay of the East Sea. Korean people have considered the Mt. Baiktu as a sacred place because they believe that their ancestor came from that mountain, and Tumen River area as long time habitat of Korean people with joy and sorrow. The upstream forms the border between China and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) while the downstream forms the border between Russia and DPRK. The length of the main Tumen River extends 546 km, with an annual average runoff of 6,760 million tons. 70% of the Tumen River watershed exists in China's Yanbian Korea Autonomous Prefecture, 30% exists in DPRK's north Hamgyong Province, and less than 1% exists in Russia's Khasan wetlands. Because there are plenty natural resources in the Tumen River basin, it is important to preserve the Tumen River drainage region's resources such as water resources, wetlands, endangered plant and animal species, etc.

There is limited information available about this area due to the political situation between North and South Korea. Although there is some information available regarding Baiktu Mountain and the Yanbian Region, it is not enough to prepare a comprehensive national report. Nonetheless, the Korean peninsula is one natural and ecological zone and the peninsula is in contact with the Tumen River. Therefore, this report will focus on the environmental status and issues in the Republic of Korea (ROK), and how these will be related to the Korean peninsula as a whole and ultimately to Tumen river basin.

As a result of industrialization and development activities, pollution sources are increased in the Tumen River basin, and natural ecosystems, migrating birds and fishery resources adversely affected. Water pollutants and wastes flow into the estuary of the Tumen River. The pollutant loadings in the Tumen estuary may create serious impacts on the drinking water quality, terrestrial and marine ecosystems. The habitats of shellfish and migrating fish would be influenced by the polluted Tumen River. In addition, as maritime transport for commercial and tourism purposes increases, there exists potential pollution accidents with oil spills, which may have negative effects on the marine ecosystem. Therefore, a preservation plan should be established by Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis (TDA).

The biodiversity issue in the Tumen area may be core agenda for TDA study. Tumen River area in Northeast Asian region has been important habitats for globally significant endangered species of tigers, leopards, bears, and migratory birds. Since territories of tigers and leopards are widely spread throughout the forest in this region, their habitats are easily destroyed by cutting forest and constructing any infrastructure facilities. For example, tigers can move 80 to 100km during a day, and a typical tiger's territory encompasses about 4000 square kilometers. Destruction of habitat causes isolated species to be in danger of extinction. Little information is available on population of these animal species in the Korean peninsula, but a study shows that there are several tigers in the DPRK.

The habitats of migrating birds are usually wetland and agricultural sites. Crane, ducks and geese live in Siberia and the northeastern part of China during the breeding season and migrate to the ROK at the beginning of the fall. They live in estuaries, lakes, and agricultural sites during the winter. After wintering, they migrate back to the north. Shorebirds live in Siberia during the summer and migrate to Australia in the fall. In spring, they migrate back to Siberia via the Tumen River region and Korean peninsula. Thus, the destruction of wetland and forest in this region results in adverse effects on internationally important wildlife, and migratory birds are getting hard time in winter in Korea because of decreasing wetland area and water pollution. For the protection of wildlife, assessment of the impacts of development activities and concerted efforts by countries in this region is necessary.

To make the TRADP programme more environmentally sustainable, enhancement of resident people's awareness of environmental issues is required and can be housed in the Strategic Action Program and Regional Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis.

To conserve and protect the valuable natural resources and biodiversity in the Tumen area, particularly for the ecosystems and wildlife, freshwater and marine resources as transboundary issues in this region, there should be following measures in the short- and long-run.

1) Ecosystems conservation

There should be region-wide survey of natural ecosystems to identify areas to be protected and to take steps to conserve them within Tumen River basin. The survey will cover the distribution and abundance of animal and plant species, forest, and endangered species, etc. Based on the survey, integrated strategies and programmes for ecosystems conservation in the Tumen River area should be formulated and implemented by each member country, in cooperation with other neighbor countries and relevant international organizations.

2) Protection of Tumen River freshwater and marine resources

Pollution of Tumen River affects not only on the water resource utilization but also to the Tumen estuary and marine fish and shell resources along the coastal areas of Korean peninsula. A cooperative study by riparian countries is necessary to make sure what is current status of water quality and what are contributing to water and what kind of countermeasures are necessary to conserve the valuable natural resources in that area.

3) Preservation of wetlands for migratory birds

Tumen River area together with the whole of Korean peninsula is valuable habitats for wintering of migratory birds. Because of construction of dams, roads, housing development, etc, wetlands in Korea is being destroyed and diminished continuously and migratory birds are getting hard to find optimum habitats, The situation seems to be more or less same in China, Russia and Mongolia. It is urgently needed to take national and region-wide measures to protect and conserve the wetlands for migratory birds.

4) Combating transboundary air pollution

Transboundary air pollution has potential for degradation of forest and vegetation in Tumen area. Dry and wet acid deposition in this area and Korean peninsula has tendency to increase and there is need to curtail emission of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide which are coming from burning of fossil fuel in North-East Asian countries. Acid rain in this region may cause serious damage to forests in the future. Acid rain also affects sensitive water bodies, soil and natural ecosystems. To prevent damage caused by acid deposition, a monitoring program for long-range transport of air pollution and acid rain is mandatory, together with development of measures to curtail emission of air pollutants from countries in this region.

5) Establishment of regional cooperation mechanism

Tumen River environmental cooperation body is urgently needed for consultation and development/implementation of environmental baseline survey and a master plan to protect the Tumen River area by countries in this region.

There is need for capacity building and training for information gathering and construction of databases, which will be ultimately utilized as regional environmental information network. Additionally, the formats of all the data should be standardized for ease of exchange between countries.