Korean food and culture have a very strong relationship with the environment. Many Korean dishes come from crops that are easily cultivated in this climate, including rice, cereals, sweet potatoes, apples and pears. Lots of Korean foods also have seaweed or fish oil, drawing on resources from the ocean. Moreover, many Korean dishes are seasonal, and I've enjoyed different meals throughout the year depending on what vegetables are growing.
Additionally, because of Korea's important location on the eastern end of Asia, it plays an important role in trade. There are many ports along the outside of the peninsula. Korea's main exports include machinery, vehicles and boats and ships. If North and South Korea were able to develop better relations, it could open the possibility of a railroad crossing Europe and Asia, making Korea a prime location for trade and travel.
Earlier in Korea's history, its biggest environmental challenges were probably adjusting to the variety of climates that could be found here. Today, however, many of Korea's environmental problems are man-made. For instance, Korea has one of the highest levels of fine air pollution in the world. In bigger cities especially, many people wear face masks on particularly polluted days. Furthermore, Korea is the ninth-largest producer of carbon dioxide emissions in the world (the United States is currently the second-largest). These environmental problems are causing many problems for the people who live in Korea--as well as the local animals and wildlife.
