Forest Fires in Southeastern South Korea

The forest fires in South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea, have burned an area exceeding 48,000 hectares. As the largest forest fire in the country’s history, it has not only caused extensive destruction of forest vegetation but also led to severe air pollution and soil degradation. According to ecological assessments, it will take decades for the local forest ecosystem to recover structurally, and approximately a century for it to fully restore itself; the region’s biodiversity and ecological balance have suffered a devastating blow that cannot be repaired in the short term.