100,000 fireworks could cause fatal damage to Seoul wetland and birds

Seoul’s World Fireworks Festival is drawing concern not only for its spectacle, but for the damage it may cause to Bamseom, a protected wetland in the Han River.

City council member Noh Yeon-soo said the festival’s roughly 100,000 fireworks create extreme noise of 100 to 130 decibels. He warned that the blasts can trigger panic responses in birds, cause collisions and drive them permanently from their habitat.

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Bamseom is an ecological treasure in the city where around 10,000 birds from about 40 species live every year, including endangered species and natural monuments.

Bamseom is registered as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention and is designated by Seoul as an ecological landscape conservation area. Public access is prohibited. Noh said the site supports about 10,000 birds from around 40 species each year, including endangered species and natural monuments.

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The extreme noise of 100 to 130 decibels causes fatal harm to birds, including panic responses, collisions and permanent abandonment of their habitat.

He also pointed to pollution from the fireworks. Nitrates and heavy metals released during combustion can enter the Han River and Bamseom’s soil, he said. The carbon emissions from one event are equivalent to the amount absorbed in a year by 2,300 to 6,800 30-year-old pine trees.

Noh called for Seoul to impose a site-use fee on the privately organized event to help cover restoration costs and to introduce responsible environmental measures. The festival, hosted by Hanwha Group since 2000 as part of its social contribution activities, attracts more than one million people. This year, organizers added a pre-event program, extending the festival to two days.

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Because the Bamseom ecosystem is being damaged by a privately organized event, Seoul must establish a site-use fee to ensure that restoration costs are properly covered and prepare responsible eco-friendly measures.