This paper starts with describing present environmental status of the Yellow Sea. It tries to identify sources of the marine pollution and projects the trend. The paper gives an overview of Korea's institutional arrangements to protect the marine envi...
This paper starts with describing present environmental status of the Yellow Sea. It tries to identify sources of the marine pollution and projects the trend. The paper gives an overview of Korea's institutional arrangements to protect the marine environment. A similar work is done for China. Types of ocean pollution and the problems are analyzed, especially regarding the transboundary nature of a semi-enclosed sea. As economic analysis reveals its limit in providing possible solutions, institutional approaches are analyzed for remedy to improve the marine environment of the Sea. Existing international cooperation frameworks to protect the environment in Northeast Asia are reviewed both in multilateral and bilateral levels, and how a new regime for marine environment can effectively fit in the existing system is analyzed. Precedent examples in other regions are also studied as to whether they have relevancy to and some implications for the Yellow Sea case. Some recommendations are made. Northwest Pacific Action Plan(NOWPAP: UNEP Regional Seas Programme) should be in action soon. It is useful to set up a sub-plan for the Yellow Sea under NOWPAP framework. It is also worthwhile to examine the feasibility of establishing a bilateral cooperation framework between Korea and China, either independent from NOWPAP or in conjunction with. The complexity and diversity of the economic activities in the Yellow Sea Rim region, and all the trends and the speed require more than a mere action of pollution prevention for environmental improvement of the region. It is desirable for medium and long term to adopt the Agenda 21, that is to establish namely Sustainable Development Strategy of the Yellow Sea Rim area, leaving the national boundary concerns aside, along with action programs of the marine pollution prevention.