Rare Plants in the DMZ Border Area of South Korea

Inje-gun is located in the northern Yeongseo area around the Baekdudaegan, in the central part of Gangwon-do. Inje is an inland mountainous region, with a continental climate characterized by a large temperature difference between summer and winter, as well as a large diurnal temperature range. It also comprises approximately 20 high and steep mountains with altitudes of 800 m or higher; moreover, more than 90% of the total land is covered by forests.

Hwacheon-gun is located in the central mountainous region in the inland of the Korean Peninsula, with a continental climate of characteristic of the inland mountainous region. Hwacheon-gun is a mountainous region, with 85.2% of it comprising mountains. In the west, the Hanbuk-Jeongmaek extends from northeast to southwest, and in the east, the mountains of the Baekdudaegan are irregularly distributed, forming a rugged alpine zone. It is a mountainous region with steep mountains and deep valleys.

There are high peaks of around 1,000 m in the northeast of Cheorwon-gun, located near the center of the Korean Peninsula, but the central and southwestern regions are relatively hilly and contain plains. The Cheorwon Plain contains the largest granary in the CCL and is also a world-famous habitat for migratory birds. To the east of Cheorwon Plain, the Hantan River and Gimhwanamdaecheon Stream, which descend from Pyeonggang-gun, Gangwon-do, penetrate the DMZ from north to south, creating a wide wetland plain while flowing through the center of Cheorwon-gun.

Yeoncheon-gun is a region located in the northernmost part of Gyeonggi-do. Between the high mountains in the east and the relatively low mountains in the west, there is a flat plain. Yeoncheon-gun is an area affected by volcanic activity; it is located on the lava plateau along the waterway where the Imjin River and its main tributary, the Hantan River, meet. The fertile lava fields are used as paddy fields today. The area near the CCL along the Imjin River is attracting attention as a wintering site for Grus japonensis, an endangered species worldwide.

Gimpo-si is located in the northwestern part of Gyeonggi-do, which borders Kaesong beyond the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) to the north. It is the flattest region in the DMZ area, primarily consisting of low hills and plains, with the exception of some low mountains.

Ongjin-gun, an area that includes the five islands of Yeonpyeong-do, Soyeonpyeong-do, Baengnyeong-do, Daecheong-do, and Socheong-do, is located in the midwestern sea of Korea and the adjacent waters. It is a major migration route for migratory birds along the west coast, and is a place where many endangered bird species, such as Ciconia boyciana, Platalea minor, Egretta eulophotes, and Haliaeetus albicilla, are observed. Baengnyeong-do is the southernmost habitat of Phoca largha and is also an area where southern and northern plants coexist under the influence of the ocean currents.