Ecological Security and the Promotion of Peace: A DMZ Eco-Peace Park

Ecological Security and the Promotion of Peace: A DMZ Eco-Peace Park

The quality of the ecological environment and security are trans-national andnational public goods, respectively. Conceptually, there are three different causalrelationships between ecology and security. First, the improvement of securitymay make the ecological environment better in such cases as détente, followed byenvironmental cooperation while the degeneration of security deteriorates theecology in such cases as war. Second, a military confrontation may restore naturalecological systems in such cases as the Korean Demilitarized Zone. Third, ecologicalcooperation can result in politico-military cooperation while environmental conflictcan instigate military conflict. Though the causal path from ecology to security islimited, it needs to be considered as a means to build up security and confidence. A peace park may belong to this category. The Park Geun-hye government hasproposed a World Eco-Peace Park to be built inside the Korean DMZ. There is noprecedent for the DMZ Peace Park to wholly imitate since no existing peace parkwas created without some form of prior political and military resolution. The projectof the DMZ World Eco-Peace Park should be promoted while considering whatfacilitates its creation as well as what effect the park will have.

The quality of the ecological environment and security are trans-national andnational public goods, respectively. Conceptually, there are three different causalrelationships between ecology and security. First, the improvement of securitymay make the ecological environment better in such cases as détente, followed byenvironmental cooperation while the degeneration of security deteriorates theecology in such cases as war. Second, a military confrontation may restore naturalecological systems in such cases as the Korean Demilitarized Zone. Third, ecologicalcooperation can result in politico-military cooperation while environmental conflictcan instigate military conflict. Though the causal path from ecology to security islimited, it needs to be considered as a means to build up security and confidence. A peace park may belong to this category. The Park Geun-hye government hasproposed a World Eco-Peace Park to be built inside the Korean DMZ. There is noprecedent for the DMZ Peace Park to wholly imitate since no existing peace parkwas created without some form of prior political and military resolution. The projectof the DMZ World Eco-Peace Park should be promoted while considering whatfacilitates its creation as well as what effect the park will have.