GANGHWA, South Korea:When hiker Kim Kang-eun found the slopes of Mount Jiri, South Korea's largest national park, littered with rubbish during a two-day trip in 2018, she decided it was time to send out a message about taking better care of nature.
She founded Clean Hikers, a group dedicated to picking up trash from there and the country's other mountain parks and turning it into art.
"Junk art is more compelling and well received by people, rather than just saying let's not litter. We can make an interesting image and it attracts people's attention," 30-year-old Kim said.
She spoke in front of a collage of a crying cat tagged with the slogan "Save the World", created by herself and other members of the group on the summit of Mount Mani on Ganghwa Island, a park outside Seoul where many stray cats roam.
It and similar collages of a fish, a bird, a butterfly and a human being that the group has displayed on mountaintops were made entirely from trash, including a face mask, collected nearby by members with steel tongs and stuffed into plastic bags.
With curbs linked to COVID-19 having restricted indoor activities and large gatherings, more South Koreans are spending time out in the open air.
The number of visitors to three major national parks close to the country's big cities has risen more than 20 percent in October compared to the same month last year, according to the Korea National Park Service (KNPS).
Visits to the 22 national parks it manages generated more than 800 tonnes of rubbish in the first nine months, it added.
While most of that trash goes into bins, some does not, and Kim is grateful for the new surge of interest in Clean Hikers that the pandemic has also inspired.
"(But) we cannot clean up the whole mountains. The more important thing is keep doing this activity, tell people about this, and make more people join. This is much more crucial," said Kim.
Reuters
Tue Nov 24 2020
Kim Kang-Eun, an artist who leads Clean Hikers, poses artwork made from litter collected by members of Clean Hikers during their hikes, on the peak of a mountain in Incheon, South Korea. REUTERSpic
Tokan dadah ditahan bersama dua pucuk pistol di Alor Setar
Polis menahan dua lelaki dan merampas dua pucuk pistol serta pelbagai jenis dadah dalam dua tangkapan di Taman Lam Foong, di Alor Setar.
Tiada tempat selamat di Gaza, kata ketua PBB
Beliau berkata tahap pertempuran dan kemusnahan yang melampau di Gaza tidak dapat difahami dan tidak boleh dimaafkan.
Saya tidak fitnah Lim Guan Eng, cuma jelas tentang siasatan SPRM - Muhyiddin
Muhyiddin memberitahu bahawa beliau tidak memfitnah Lim Guan Eng berhubung isu pengecualian cukai terhadap Yayasan Albukhary.
Saintis kesan gen bantu rawat kanser pankreas
Gen HNF4A (Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 4 Alpha) didapati akan berhenti berfungsi pada tubuh pesakit kanser pankreas.
Pantau Agenda Reformasi: Potensi dan cabaran percambahan e-Sukan di Malaysia
Pengerusi Gabungan Pelajar Melayu Semenanjung (GPMS) Negeri Selangor
merangkap Timbalan Presiden Majlis Belia Negeri Selangor
E-Sukan mampu mencetak nama Malaysia di pentas dunia. Memahami potensi, kekangan dan peranan yang perlu dimainkan semua pihak dalam melahirkan lebih ramai pemain E-Sukan yang berjaya, seterusnya menyokong pembangunan industri E-Sukan negara.
SRG cipta sejarah pasukan Malaysia pertama juarai MSC MLBB 2024
merangkap Timbalan Presiden Majlis Belia Negeri Selangor
E-Sukan mampu mencetak nama Malaysia di pentas dunia. Memahami potensi, kekangan dan peranan yang perlu dimainkan semua pihak dalam melahirkan lebih ramai pemain E-Sukan yang berjaya, seterusnya menyokong pembangunan industri E-Sukan negara.
SRG cipta sejarah pasukan Malaysia pertama juarai MSC MLBB 2024
Jualan kereta di Malaysia diunjur cecah 765,000 unit
Persatuan Automotif Malaysia (MAA) melakukan semakan semula berkaitan sasaran jumlah keseluruhan industri (TIV) kepada 765,000 unit berbanding unjuran awal 740,000 unit untuk 2024. Semakan dibuat disokong oleh persekitaran ekonomi yang positif dan jumlah tempatan tertunggak yang masih berada pada tahap yang baik
Kementerian Digital cari kaedah kurangkan kos pelaksanaan sistem e-invois
Kerajaan sedang mencari kaedah mengurangkan kos pelaksanaan sistem e-invois untuk Perusahaan Kecil dan Sederhana (PKS) selepas sistem itu diwajibkan untuk semua perniagaan pada 1 Julai 2025
Perbelanjaan pengguna dijangka meningkat tahun ini
Perbelanjaan Pengguna Malaysia dijangka meningkat sepanjang tahun ini
dengan unjuran sebanyak RM904.6 bilion, ketika proses pemulihan ekonomi menunjukkan kemajuan pada ketika ini.
dengan unjuran sebanyak RM904.6 bilion, ketika proses pemulihan ekonomi menunjukkan kemajuan pada ketika ini.
Suspek bunuh Nur Farah Kartini dibawa ke lokasi kejadian
Suspek kes pembunuhan Nur Farah Kartini Abdullah dibawa ke lokasi kejadian di ladang kelapa sawit di Kampung Sri Keledang, Hulu Bernam, Selangor.
Beberapa kementerian bincang perketat undang-undang - Fahmi
Penambahbaikan aspek perundangan akan diteliti kerajaan, termasuk mengadakan perbincangan dengan beberapa kementerian berkaitan dalam masa terdekat, bagi memperketatkan undang-undang berkaitan buli siber.
Korea Selatan mulakan liga bola lisut secara tertutup
Liga KBO memulakan musim dengan perlawanan antara SK Wyverns dan Hanwha Eagles yang dijalankan secara tertutup di Incheon.
Doan dipenjara tiga tahun empat bulan, cederakan Kim Chol
Bernasib baik kerana pendakwaan menawarkan pertuduhan alternatif yang hanya membawa hukuman penjara 10 tahun berbanding pertuduhan asal iaitu membunuh yang memperuntukkan hukuman mati mandatori.
MMA: ONE Championship announces 2019 calendar, expands fight to Tokyo
ONE Championship has just revealed its calendar for 2019, including its first live event in Tokyo, Japan, scheduled for 31 March 2019.
South Korean Customs looking into Korean Air 'nut rage' family
South Korea's Customs is looking into accusations that the family helming Korean Air did not pay customs duties on luxury goods brought into the country.
Kim Jong-un invites South Korean president for summit - South Korea
The invitation sets the stage for the first meeting of Korean leaders in more than 10 years.
Pembunuhan Jong Nam: Polis serah Ri Jong Chol kepada imigresen esok
Lelaki warga Korea Utara yang ditahan polis berhubung kes pembunuhan seorang rakyat negara itu pada 13 Feb lepas, akan diserah kepada Jabatan Imigresen esok.
Korean Air tolak dakwaan 'kru tidak terlatih' oleh penyanyi Richard Marx
Syarikat penerbangan ternama Korea Selatan, Korean Air berkata bahawa anak-anak kapalnya mengikut prosedur syarikat dalam mengawal penumpang selepas bintang 80-an Richard Marx memuat naik status.