A Study on the Policy of Reserved Forests in Korea - mainly, on the designation and cancellation of reserved forests -

보안림정책논고(保安林政策論考) - 보안림(保安林)의 지정(指定) 및 해제(解除)를 중심(中心)으로 -

In this study, the present institution of reserved forests in Korea has been criticized through the analysis of the present situation of reserved forests in Korea, and mainly, on designation and cancellation of them because of this important institution thought as restriction of forest ownership. Reserved forest land in Korea as of the end of 1962 is 996,915 chungbo in area, or about 14.8% of the total forest land area, 6,750,324 chungbo in Korea, and we can find that the area of reserved forest land has increased remarkably since the Liberation in 1945, in comparison with about 180,000 chungbo-a little over 1% of the total forest land area, 16,000,000 chungbo, through Southern and Northern Korea till the Liberation in 1945. This fact clearly proves that Korean forests are extremely devastated since the Liberation in 1945, and in Korea we can find that reserved forest policy is very important in forest policy, consequently, reserved forest institution must be dealt with care. Moreover, the area of reserved forest land, 996,915 chungbo, which is divided into 43,820 chungbo of national forest land, 59,302 chungbo of public forest land, 893,793 chungbo of private forest land, and private forest land is excellently large, or about 89.7% of the total area of reserved forest land. In this number, we may understand the fact that reserved forests have the most influences on private forests, therefore, we may recognize that it is necessary for reserved forest constitution which is infringement of private right to be carried out carefully. From the first beginning, the institution of reserved forests is serious restriction to the forest ownership. Consequently, when the area of reserved forest land grows, it interferes seriously with the free forest management and the desire for forest own ership is decreased, at the same time, forest enterprise results in obstruction. Especially, Korean forests are destroyed extremely at present, so, intensification of reserved forest institution is unavoidable for completion of the national aim which forests have, but the author thinks that reserved forest institution must be as avoidable as possible, and we have to obtain good results by supervision of forest management which is regulated in the Forest Law. Consequently, designation of reserved forests must be minimized, and although forests were already designated as reserved forests they must be cancellated as fast as fast as possible and put them free in the owner's hands when they are in cancellation conditions. According to the provision of Article 18 of the Forest Law concrete cases designated as a reserved forest are enumerated for the purpose of maintaining the forest ownership and avoiding to give the forest authorities a free hand in order to protect forest owners from one-sided damage. Therefore, the forest authorities must not abuse the institution of reserved forests, and it is not good tendency to give only the authorities a free hand in eesignation and cancellation of reserved forests, and especially, when the forest owners object to that, establishing some legal organization like the reserved forest council in each province in order to hear about impartial opinions, and it is more suitable than administrative disposal by the same organization. The compensation of damages for reserved forests by the provision of Article 25 of the Forest Law is a different problem by forest policy, but the results of compensation of damages regulated in the Forest Law are wholly lacking up to now, the author thinks that this is caused to poor forest cover, the forest owner's unconcern and insincerity of administrative authorities. Therefore, the government must enlarge the range of compensation and minimize the forest owner's economic sacrifice, also, the government must mollify the conditions of the legal restrictions to reserved forests, and harmonize with functions of national conservation and economy. This means that it is necessary to modify the restrictive conditions for the effective utilization of forest resources within the range in which can be attained the purpose of designation, from permanent prohibition of cutting. Except the reserved forests of fish habitat, public sanitation, maintaining scenery and navigational mark ect., most of reserved forests are prohibited from cutting, and the present situation of forests in Korea are extremely devastated and those forests are not so expected in cancellation possibility in near future. Therefore, when the forest owners apply for national purchase of those reserved forests, the government had better nationalize them, protect and manage to reduce the forest owner's economic sacrifice.