Kia to restore 168,000 square meters of tidal flat in South Chungcheong Province

Kia is set to restore tidal flats in Seocheon-gun, South Chungcheong Province, planting salt marsh vegetation across about 168,000 square meters to boost carbon absorption and revive damaged tidal flat ecosystems in a public-private partnership.

Kia signed a multilateral MOU Tuesday with the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, South Chungcheong Province, Seocheon-gun, the Korea Marine Environment Management Corporation and the Korea Ocean Foundation at Seoul Parnas in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, to advance the Seocheon Tidal Flat Blue Carbon Ecological Restoration Project.

The signing ceremony was attended by Kia President Song Ho-sung, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Hwang Jong-woo, South Chungcheong Province Governor Park Soo-hyun, Seocheon-gun Mayor Yoo Seung-gwang, Korea Marine Environment Management Corporation Chairman Kang Yong-seok and Korea Ocean Foundation Chairman Kim Yang-su.

The project centers on planting salt marsh plants — vegetation that thrives in salt-rich tidal flats and coastal wetlands — to restore tidal flat vegetation in Seocheon-gun and expand the absorption of blue carbon, the carbon sequestered by marine ecosystems.

Corporate carbon neutrality efforts have increasingly moved beyond renewable energy use and electric vehicle adoption to encompass natural capital conservation. Restoring ecosystems such as tidal flats and marine vegetation that store carbon has emerged as a key pillar of ESG activity.

Tidal flats are recognized as a representative blue carbon ecosystem, absorbing and storing carbon through sediment layers and salt marsh vegetation. Beyond carbon sequestration, they also filter pollutants, sustain biodiversity and provide habitat for seabirds.

Under the agreement, Kia plans to plant salt marsh vegetation across approximately 168,000 square meters of tidal flat — spanning the Jangam, Solli and Songnim areas of Seocheon — by 2029.

In the Jangam tidal flat area, the project will use idle land from a former fish farm. Alongside restoring the damaged tidal flat ecosystem, Kia also plans to develop a "blue carbon garden" featuring walking trails and an observation deck.

This is not Kia's first tidal flat restoration effort. Since 2022, the company has been planting salt marsh vegetation across about 40,000 square meters of tidal flat at Maehyang-ri in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province.

Kia expects the salt marsh plant colonies at the Seocheon site to expand naturally over time, progressively strengthening carbon absorption and pollutant filtration while improving seabird habitat and restoring biodiversity.

The project brings together a company, the national government, local authorities and public institutions. Kia will work with the local community to continue tidal flat vegetation restoration and blue carbon expansion, while partner agencies will support project implementation, management and the establishment of an ecological restoration framework.

Kia said it will continue expanding its environmental initiatives in response to climate change and to protect natural capital — pursuing not only carbon reduction in the vehicle manufacturing process but also external mitigation activities such as ecosystem restoration to strengthen its carbon neutrality efforts.

"This MOU represents a new model of cooperation between business, government and local communities to preserve ecosystems," Kia President Song said. "Kia will continue working with diverse partners to contribute to carbon neutrality through tidal flat vegetation restoration and the expansion of blue carbon."