The planted forest area in South Korea showed a consistent but slight increase from 2013 to 2015, peaking at 2.28 million hectares. However, from 2016 onwards, the area showed either stabilization or minor fluctuations, stabilizing around 2.27 million hectares until 2020. By 2023, the area had reduced slightly to 2.25 million hectares. The year-on-year variations since 2016 have predominantly been negative, with minor decreases annually. From 2025 to 2028, forecasts suggest a continuous, albeit slow, decline, with an estimated CAGR of -0.1%, indicating a gradual decrease in planted forest area.
Future trends to watch for include potential policy changes in forest management, impacts of climate change on reforestation efforts, and shifts in land use priorities which could either mitigate or exacerbate the decline in planted forest area.
