Korean Mountain Preservation League
Self-Description : September 2008 http://www.kmpl.org
THE Korean Mountain Preservation League (KMPL), previously called the Korean Mountaineering League, is a non governmental organisation (NGO) dedicated to the ecological preservation of South Korea’s Highlands, and to the preservation of the ecology and biodiversity of mountains throughout the country.
In addition to inspection and cleaning of trails, KMPL observes and measures erosion in the parks. Currently, KMPL has begun working with the Gangbuk District Office of Seoul to help in maintaining the parks, with a concentration on erosion and education.
With the Office, KMPL is especially focusing on Bukhansan National Park, part of which falls within the boundaries of Gangbuk District.
In order to gain support for its mission, KMPL tries to make its actions known. What they do is hard, dirty, yet very necessary work and they greatly need the public’s assistance. Through campaigns and advertising they hope to spread environmentalist education to the broader, concerned public.
By working closely with other concerned groups, KMPL is committed to the difficult task at hand: to gain public support; to lobby against the government’s decisions that aim to weaken mountain ecology; and to keep the mountains pristine and biologically diverse.
We are committed so that Korea’s posterity may enjoy their rights to a naturally wondrous and mountainous homeland.
Campaigns
KMPL is currently running the Pack it In, Pack it Out campaign. The campaign’s focus is on the education of the “pack it in, pack it out” principle: whatsoever goes into the mountains with you, must be taken out with you. This is a prime factor of the minimal impact code.
Running along side Pack it In, Pack it Out is the Root of the Problem sub-campaign. This campaign is aiming to convince companies to reduce the amount of packaging that they use for their products.
KMPL is also lobbying relevant government ministries to pass a law that would force companies to curb the percentage of packaging used on products.
It is the philosophy of this campaign to go right to the core of the problem; if the amount of packaging produced is reduced, then the amount of packaging that finds its way into the highlands will also be reduced.