Korea has experienced unprecedented economic growth and urbanization in recent decades. In terms of economic activity relative to land area, Korea ranks within the top ten nations internationally. This productivity, while yielding many benefits, also threatens to harm natural ecosystems. In the 1960s and 1970s, the environment of South Korea was damaged while pursuing rapid economic growth with little consideration of sustainability. As public awareness about the environment has grown, the need for environmental protection has begun to be emphasized. 

 

 The National Ecosystem Survey is part of a government initiative to continuously monitor the physical environment with respect to the landscape, atmosphere, water quality, forests, and ecosystems. The survey covers abiotic components (topography, geology, land, and soil) as well as biotic components (plants and animals). The aim is to assess the level of environmental destruction and the conservation value of ecological regions by analyzing the characteristics of individual ecosystem elements. 

 

 Geomorphic and landscape features are some of the most fundamental components of the natural ecosystem. Topographic features directly influence surface geology, soil distribution, groundwater status, and the growth and reproduction of plant and animal species. The national landform survey is composed of two different surveys: one is a general survey of features such as mountains, river landforms, and coastal landforms; the other is a special survey of volcanic and karst landforms. The results of the topographic survey are categorized into points, lines, and polygons based on their attributes.

 

 The National Ecosystem Survey has three components: first, a basic, comprehensive national survey of the natural environment; second, a targeted survey of key ecological landscapes, including inland wetlands, uninhabited islands, coastal sand dunes, estuaries, and other landscapes of outstanding ecological importance; and lastly, a species survey of legally protected, rare, and endangered wild flora and fauna. This survey is the largest scale of its kind conducted annually in Korea and involves around 500 researchers with expertise in landforms, taxonomic groups of plant and animal species, and other fields. 

The National Environmental Zoning Map classifies land into five grades according to preservation value and other environmental factors, with the first grade representing areas of high conservation value. It was created to induce ecologically sound land use planning and to mitigate social conflicts that may result from environmental issues. The map is currently open to the public and being used by environmental managers, development planners, and government officials for environmental investigation and impact assessments.