# South Korea planted 12 billion trees to revive post-war forests 2026-08-09T08:44:24+00:00 | World & Diplomacy | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet South Korea's forest volume grew from 10.6 cubic metres per hectare in 1960 to 60.3 in 1999, and by 2020 it was 29 times the 1953 level, according to the Times of India. The recovery followed a massive reforestation drive that began in 1959 and planted more than 12 billion trees over 31 years, covering 4.5 million hectares by 1992. The government selected fast-growing species to stabilise degraded hillsides and later introduced commercial trees. Protection and reduced firewood use were equally important, as newly planted forests needed time to mature. However, the new forests differ from the original ecosystems, with native species gradually replacing some planted trees through natural regeneration. ## Coverage - timesofindia.indiatimes.com Tags: climate action, environment, forest restoration, reforestation, South Korea, tree planting Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/south-korea-planted-12-billion-trees-to-revive-post-war-forests/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/south-korea-planted-12-billion-trees-to-revive-post-war-forests/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.