• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.227-235
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• 2005

This study aimed at suggesting management policy directions for the uninhabited islands of Korea which are national land resources with economic potential for tourism and development and strategic value for boundary delineation of territorial waters and exclusive economic zone as well as their unique ecological status. Review of existing management arrangements related to the uninhabited islands revealed six management issues to be addressed: insufficient data and their low reliability, lack of management policy directions, increase in ecosystem deterioration and perturbation by human activities, lack of policy measures for meeting utilization and development demands, weak management base with insufficient personnel and budget, and legal measures not taking Into account their unique ecological and socioeconomic characteristics. The management policy directions to improve the management of the uninhabited islands of Korea include management directions and strategies, and suggestions for legal improvement. Considering the unique ecological value of the uninhabited islands, management directions suggested are anti-degradation in which current and future demands for their utilization and development do not degrade the ecological potential of the uninhabited islands and integration in which land and sea areas are managed as an integrated management unit. Four strategies proposed to follow the management directions are enhancement of the knowledge base through a comprehensive survey, development and legislation of guidelines for the rational management of utilization and development demands, establishment of the comprehensive island debris collection and disposal system, and enhancement of management capacity. Legal improvement for the effective implementation of the management policy directions should include comprehensive uninhabited islands survey, legal utilization restraints and management guidelines based on classification of the islands, management boundary, and improvement of regulations on designated islands.