The Taedong River which flows through the capital city of Pyongyang, is one of the five longest rivers in Korea. As an area of high forest accumulation, the Taedong River basin is covered with a lot of needle-leaved and broadleaved trees like pine trees and oak trees.
According to Song Chol Gil, a section head of the Zoological Institute, who has been studying the ecological system of the Taedong River for a long time, the transformation of the river basin is bringing about changes in the ecological system. Originally there were some 60 kinds of fishes in the river, and now they are increasing year by year. This provides migratory birds with a sufficient feed condition, and thus lots of migratory birds fly to build their nests in the area. Among the birds are mallards.
Over 20 kinds of mallards come round in flocks to inhabit the river from early September to early April next year. In spring and autumn every year, the country undertakes projects for improving river conditions and planting trees. The projects include afforestation for erosion control. With the new appearance of the Taedong year by year, the ecological system of the place is getting better and better.
“I’m sure that the migratory birds on the verge of extinction around the world will come to the Taedong in a few years along with the improvement of its ecological system. We are now conducting the relevant research,” Song says. Thanks to the laws such as the DPRK Law on Water Resources (1997), the Law on Prevention of the Taedong River Pollution and the Law on Rivers adopted by the State, a legal guarantee has been laid to maintain the diversity of the river’s ecological system. The scientific research is under way to protect the ecological environment of the Taedong.
The researchers of the Environmental Sci-tech Research Institute, Ministry of Land and Environment Protection, are engrossed in solving the relevant problems, including the research on the technology of purifying industrial waste water and depurative materials, the research on improvement of biodiversity, management of nature reserves and the recycling of wastes, and the authentication of the system of improving the environmental management of factories and enterprises. This makes the river clear all the time. Toward sunset, there can be seen people who are enjoying themselves aboard the generalservice ship Mujigae while watching the mallards flying about in flocks.