Kia, government join forces to restore Seocheon tidal flat with W26b investment

Kia, the central government and local authorities will invest 26 billion won ($17.7 million) in a project to restore the ecosystem of the Seocheon tidal flat in South Chungcheong Province and expand blue carbon capacity.

The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries signed a memorandum of understanding Tuesday with Kia, South Chungcheong Province, Seocheon-gun, the Korea Marine Environment Corporation and the Korea Ocean Foundation to advance the public-private partnership Seocheon tidal flat blue carbon ecological restoration project. The signing ceremony, held at the Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas, was attended by Oceans and Fisheries Minister Hwang Jong-woo, Kia CEO Song Ho-sung, South Chungcheong Province Governor Park Soo-hyun, Seocheon-gun Mayor Yoo Seung-gwang, Korea Marine Environment Corporation Chairman Kang Yong-seok and Korea Ocean Foundation Chairman Kim Yang-su.

The project is the second public-private tidal flat restoration initiative, following a first effort carried out from 2022 to 2025 in Maehyang-ri, Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, which Kia funded entirely. The total budget has grown to 26 billion won, and the project will run for four years from 2026 to 2029.

The project site covers tidal flats in the Janghang-eup area of Seocheon-gun, South Chungcheong Province. Participating organizations plan to convert abandoned fish farms into a blue carbon garden and restore the tidal flat as habitat for salt marsh plant communities and seabirds. Blue carbon refers to carbon absorbed and stored by marine and coastal ecosystems, including tidal flats, salt marsh plants and seaweed.

The project will also build ecotourism infrastructure. A tidal flat trail will be constructed to improve access, and a visitor center promoting the value and importance of blue carbon will be established as a local tourism resource.

"This project will serve as a model public-private partnership in which the central government, local governments and private companies work together to respond to climate change," Minister Hwang said. "The ministry will develop a range of cooperative project models to invigorate corporate ESG activities in the marine environment sector and draw in the participation of more companies."