Here is a forwarded message from the US Embassy in Seoul that people looking to volunteer with the Taean oil spill clean up might find helpful:
 Friday and Saturday, February 1-2, to Commemorate World Wetlands Day (Feb. 2)
The Korea Wetland Project (koreawetland.org) is a nationally executed Ministry of Environment project, supported by UNDP and the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) that is working with local communities to protect globally important wetlands in the ROK.Â
Thousands of volunteers from the public and private sector have already responded to the Hebei Spirit oil spill (Dec. 7); however, there is still a lot more work to do on the ground.
World Wetland Day is an international day to raise the awareness of all peoples to protect these very threatened ecosystems and to celebrate the day in a meaningful way. The project has organized two separate free one-day bus trips to Taebae (near Gureumpo Beach, Chungnam Province, Taean Peninsula) to join the clean-up efforts.
If you had wanted to join the teams of volunteers who showed up in December but were not able, here is your chance to be involved.
Schedule:
Bus pick-ups:
Fri. 1 Feb. - Gyesan Station (Exit 1, Line 1 in Incheon) @0640 or
Yeongdeungpo-gu Office Station (Exit 2, Line 2) @ 0730
Sat. 2 Feb. – Baeksoek Station (Exit 2, Line 3 in Ilsan) @ 0650 or
Yeongdeungpo-gu Office Station (Exit 2, Line 2) @ 0730(Please arrive at least five minutes before the pick-up time)
ETA: Taebae, near Gureumpo Beach in Sowon-myeon, Taean-gun National Park = 1000
Clean-up: 1000 – 1430 (including lunch break)
Visit nearby Du-ung Wetland (Ramsar Wetland site) 1500 – 1545
ETD for Seoul: 1600
ETA (contingent on local traffic): Seoul = 1800; Incheon or Ilsan = 1900
Provided: Protective outerwear (including boots, gloves), simple one dish lunch (e.g., Beef Stew), and water
English Language Services: Individuals will be available to translate as needed.
What to bring: Warm clothes, extra snacks and/or drinks (no alcohol), and an abundance of energy and enthusiasm combined with a spirit of serviceRSVP Ms. LEE, Namue (Public Awareness & Training Officer) no later than 10 AM on Thurs. 31 January to reserve a bus seat
E-mail: namue99@yahoo.co.kr or
Telephone: Office = 032-562-2650 or Cellphone = 016-796-4591P.S. Please go to our website to see pictures from our Friday (25 Jan.) Taean clean-up activity.
http://koreawetland.org/participate/gallery_list.asp
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12:29 am on January 30th, 2008 1
My wife has some family in Tae-an (close to some of the oil spill) who tell us that they earn 70k won per day for going down to help in the clean up. That’s comparable to what they’d make in a day of harvesting seafood during the season, though next year I doubt the catch will be great. They are mostly older, retired folks, so the extra income is a boon for them.
6:34 am on January 30th, 2008 2
It is good to hear that the government is able to get them some financial support. I’m sure seafood prices will be going through the roof in the coming months in Korea.
5:30 pm on February 3rd, 2008 3