Massive Oil Spill Threatens Wetlands, National Park in South Korea

Taean Peninsula, South Korea – On Friday, 10 million liters (2.7m gallons) of crude oil gushed from three holes in the side of the Hebei Spirit oil tanker, spilling into the Yellow Sea offshore Taeanhaean National Park. Already the worst spill in the country’s history, its timing and location add more reason for concern. Migrating birds make their winter home in and around the national park. Residents also fear that the fishing and tourist industries that sustain the region will collapse, devastating the local economy.

Mallipo beach, on the Taean peninsula, is considered one of South Korea’s most beautiful beaches. It’s 3 km of white sands call to beach-goers and eco-tourists alike. Today, however, Mallipo’s white sands are buried under a 10-cm thick blanket of black crude that stretches over 50 km of coastline.

The Taean Peninsula itself is listed as one of the top “22 Priority Sites for Conservation” in the Yellow Sea, according to the South Korean-Chinese Government Yellow Sea Large Marine Ecosystem Program. Taeanhaean National Park boasts 250 species of flora, and in the winter the area serves as an important stopover for many species of migrating birds. The area is home to a number of unique species such as the Finless Porpoise and the Bar-tailed Godwit, which makes the longest non-stop migration flight of any bird.

Some of the most delicate wetland ecosystems in Korea are also located on the same peninsula, south of the spill. To date, oil from the spill remains concentrated in the north, around Mallipo beach. However, Nial Moores of Birds Korea, a national birding and conservation organization, warns that it is likely that currents will carry the oil south to the Geum Estuary and the Cheonsu Bay wetlands. There is no current estimate of the consequences this would have for the area’s migrating birds.

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So far, cleanup crews, consisting of over 10,00 police, military, and resident volunteers, have found a number of slicked birds. According to Birds Korea, the birds most affected in the current region of the spill are Red-breasted Mergansers, Ancient Murrelets, and Temminck’s Cormorants, pictured below.

In comparison to the recent oil spill in the San Francisco Bay, Friday’s South Korea spill measured over 45 times larger; that is, roughly a quarter the size of the Exxon Valdez spill, the worst in history. Recently, the government declared the area an “emergency disaster zone.”

The massive spill came less than two weeks before the country’s fourth presidential election. On the ground, television news programs and newspapers swapped coverage of the presidential hopefuls for photos of the country’s Western beaches, blackened by thick, tarry oil. Even the candidates themselves, including front-runner Lee Myung-bak, took time off of the campaign trail to capture a photo opp. assisting in the cleanup.

But for residents of the Taean peninsula, the spill will bring more than a presidential visit. This week, Many residents report feeling ill, especially suffering from dizziness. More present in their minds than their health, however, is the future of their livelihood.

In an interview with the Associated Press, Taean County official, Lee Seung-yop, pointed to the 181 aquatic farms and roughly 4,000 aquatic farmers who drive the area’s economy. Their harvest includes abalone, seaweed, littleneck clams and sea cucumbers, all of which are popular food items throughout Korea.

“A lot of damage is feared to these farms, although we don’t have an estimate yet,” Lee said.

EcoWorldly will be at the site of South Korea’s spill this coming weekend and will report back to readers around the world with first-hand accounts of the clean-up efforts. Please check back for a follow-up article early next week.

References and Resources:

Massive Oil Slick Threatens Important Bird Areas on West Coast | Birds Korea (Visit this site for updated photos of bird rescue.)

Current videos of the spill and the affected areas | CNN

Assorted photos of the spill and the affected areas | Yahoo! News

Korea’s largest oil spill blackens shore | The Boston Globe

Taeanhaean National Park (English) | Korean National Park

South Korea faces ’sea of oil’ | CNN

Korean Federation For Environmental Movement (English)

Photo Sources:

Map | Google Maps

Red-breasted Merganser | Flickr

Oiled Bird | Taken by Mr. Kim Shin-Hwan, Birds Korea

Finless Porpoise | Flickr

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