Suncheon is an agricultural city in South Jeolla Province, Republic of Korea. The city is highly regarded due to its educational institutes and conservation activities. Suncheon Bay and Dongcheon Estuary Ramsar Sites are located in Suncheon City. Suncheon Bay mudflat is the first Korean coastal wetland registered under the Ramsar Convention. It is an important site for migratory birds, especially the hooded crane which serves as the symbol of the city. Suncheon Bay mudflat provides an optimum space for improving awareness about the conservation and wise use of wetlands. It maintains a number of wetland education/information centers that promote various wetland education programs for the general public.

The Suncheon Bay mudflat is one of the Republic of Korea’s best-known ecotourism destinations; receiving over two (2) million visitors every year. With the increasing number of hooded cranes, socio-economic effects of Suncheon Bay’s conservation and wise use were not limited to the Suncheon Bay area but have also benefitted the entire city. While, Dongcheon Estuary was designated as a wetland protection area in 2015 and belongs to a transitional ecosystem connecting the land and the sea; vertically connecting to Suncheon Bay. It provides citizens with highly diverse ecosystem services.

Governance of Ramsar Sites in Suncheon City is assumed by the Suncheon Bay Wetland Committee. Formed in 2007, it supports the systematic conservation and management of Suncheon Bay and Dongcheon Estuary, and significantly contributes to the strengthening of local competency and expertise necessary for the effective conservation and wise use of the Ramsar Sites. The committee is comprised of members (not exceeding 20) who are key wetland stakeholders representing the public and private sectors. Agreements by the committee are reached through participatory processes.

Suncheon Bay mudflat and Dongcheon Estuary implement management plans endorsed by the Suncheon Bay Wetland Committee with an operational budget of about 0.8 to 1 billion Korean Won per year representing 10% of the total revenue generated from the Ramsar Sites. Existing wetland conservation policies include the Act on Conservation of Wetlands, Act on Protection of Cultural Heritage, Act on Planning and Use of Land / City of Suncheon Ordinance on Urban Planning, and Act on Creation and Promotion of Arboretums and Gardens.

Suncheon City implements several programs that support the conservation and wise use of wetlands. These include the Eco-reserved zone’s flagship project: creating and operating the Hooded Crane Hope Agricultural Complex, and the Flagship project in transition zone: creating and running the Suncheon Bay National Garden. It promotes wetland education through various educational facilities such as the Suncheon Bay Eco-Museum, Sounds of Nature Experience Center, Suncheon Bay History Museum, Reed Deck, and Suncheon Bay Bird Observatory. Other educational programs include the mudflat eco-guide training program, junior ranger training program, bird watching eco-tour on double-decker bus, NGO-led monitoring of winter migratory birds, and marine environment education-support program.