From June 14–22, 2025, a South African delegation composed of 15 representatives from various national and Mpumalanga provincial government including DARDLEA, the Office of the Premier, and the Office of the Presidency, traveled to the Republic of Korea for a week-long knowledge exchange supported by the Korea Green Growth Trust Fund (KGGTF). The visit was part of the KGGTF-financed initiative Catalyzing Biodiversity and Protected Lands Remediation, Restoration, and Expansion around Retired Mining Sites in South Africa, approved in 2023, led by Min Ji Sohn, Environmental Specialist.
The knowledge exchange was facilitated by the Korea Mine Rehabilitation and Mineral Resources Corporation (KOMIR), which served as a technical guide throughout the trip. KOMIR shared in-depth expertise on Korea’s integrated and nature-solutions approach to post-mining land restoration, which blends ecosystem rehabilitation, biodiversity enhancement, community revitalization, and new green economic uses such as tourism and culture.
Site visits to former mining areas now transformed into ecoparks and innovation hubs illustrated the potential of nature-based solutions to support both environmental recovery and sustainable livelihoods. The delegation also engaged in strategic discussions with Korean experts and policymakers, exploring how Korea’s regulatory frameworks, public-private partnerships, and financing models could be adapted to South Africa’s unique context.
The capacity-building exchange was a resounding success, deepening technical understanding, fostering client commitment and interest, and catalyzing cross-sector dialogue between the Environment Department and the Energy Department around how biodiversity-focused mine rehabilitation can become a cornerstone of inclusive, green economic transformation in post-mining landscapes.
The grant, Catalyzing Biodiversity and Protected Lands Remediation, Restoration and Expansion around Retired Mining Sites in South Africa, was approved in 2023, led by Min Ji Sohn, Environmental Specialist