Kia signs multilateral MOU for ‘Seocheon Tidal Flat Blue Carbon Ecological Restoration Project’

Kia held a multilateral business agreement ceremony on Tuesday 28th at the Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas with the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, South Chungcheong Province, Seocheon County, the Korea Marine Environment Management Corporation and the Korea Maritime Foundation to promote the 'Seocheon Tidal Flat Blue Carbon Ecological Restoration Project'. Attendees at the ceremony included Kia President Song Ho-sung, Minister of Oceans and Fisheries Hwang Jong-woo, South Chungcheong Province Governor Park Soo-hyun, Seocheon County Mayor Yoo Seung-kwang, Korea Marine Environment Management Corporation Chairman Kang Yong-seok and Korea Maritime Foundation Chairman Kim Yang-soo.

This business agreement was made possible through public-private cooperation, with the shared goal of restoring the tidal flat ecosystem and expanding blue carbon sinks by planting halophytes on tidal flats in the Seocheon County area of South Chungcheong Province. Tidal flats are blue carbon ecosystems that absorb and store carbon through their sedimentary layers and halophytes, performing ecosystem functions such as carbon absorption and pollutant purification, and thus hold value as natural capital.

Through this business agreement, Kia will continue its efforts to restore tidal flat ecosystems and protect natural capital. Previously, Kia had cooperated with the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries since 2022 to carry out a vegetation restoration project on the Maehyang-ri tidal flat in Hwaseong City, planting halophytes across an area of approximately 40,000m² within the tidal flat, which has been designated as a wetland protected area.

Through this project, Kia and the participating organisations will plant halophytes across approximately 168,000m² (approximately 50,000 pyeong) of tidal flats, including the Jangan tidal flat area, Soli tidal flat and Songrim tidal flat areas in Seocheon, by 2029, while strengthening carbon absorption functions. In the Jangan tidal flat area, the project will restore the damaged tidal flat ecosystem by utilising idle land from former fish farms, while also creating a blue carbon garden encompassing tidal flat walking trails and observation decks.

Kia expects that as the halophyte communities expand, environmental benefits will grow, including not only carbon absorption and pollutant purification but also improved seabird habitats and recovery of biodiversity. Going forward, Kia plans to continue its eco-friendly activities to respond to climate change and protect natural capital, based on cooperation with relevant agencies and local governments.

Kia President Song Ho-sung said, "This business agreement represents a new cooperation model for preserving ecosystems together with businesses, government and local communities," adding, "Kia will continue its efforts to contribute to carbon neutrality through tidal flat vegetation restoration and blue carbon expansion, based on cooperation with various partners."