Abstract
The introduction of strategic environmental assessment (SEA) has strengthened and extended the value of environmental impact assessment (EIA) as a foundational tool for sustainable development. In particular, SEA helps to overcome the limitation of project EIA as a 'stand alone' approach, applied relatively late in the decision making cycle. SEA is applied to policy, plan and programme (3P) proposals, when major alternatives are open and systematic consideration can be given to their environmental effects. This process also corresponds to options appraisal of development proposal to find the best practical outcome having regard to all potential impacts. There are imperatives for sustainable development (SD) that are shaping future directions for EIA and SEA internationally, regionally and locally. There is a shift toward more integrative approaches of using EIA and SEA as sustainability tools in cooperated environmental management system (EMS). Korea has established and applied EIA for over twenty years for various projects. Given its coverage, the current EIA system is SEA exclusive. The Prior Environmental Review System (PERS), which is a SEA-type of system, was applied in the late 1990s, mainly for various developing planning programs. The current PERS has been modified as a SEA type system, but in general, policy is not going to be covered.
