Wave Risk Assessment on Coastal Areas in Korea

Abstract

In Korea, coastal areas contain have 27.5% of the nation’s population, 67.6% of industrial complexes, 169 harbors & national fishing ports, 256 beaches, 4 national parks and 13 marsh protected areas (MOF, 2015), making coastal areas an important asset to the nation as residential, economic, leisure, environmental resource. Due to global warming, however, coastal areas are directly affected by sea-level rise and super-typhoons, and damages to the area are getting progressively bigger. In particular, sea-level rise and high-waves erode coastal areas and increase the risk. In order to deal with the risks properly, this study assessed the wave risk of coastal areas. The method of wave risk assessment is to combine exposure (sea level rise and high-waves) and sensitivity (population, building, industrial complex, fish farm, elevation, and slope in coastal area) by applying the framework of vulnerability to climate change (IPCC, 2001). Certified data and numerical modeling results were used. After the spatial statistical analysis using the GIS program, the wave risk index (WRI) was rated in integer grades of 1^st (very low) to 5^th (very high). As a result, WRI of Jeju located on the typhoon track was rated 4^th grade, and Gangwon and Gyeongbuk were also 4^th grade due to the high waves effect of north-eastern wave on autumn & winter. On the other hand, WRI of the southern coastal areas located on the typhoon track, like Jeju, was relatively low due to the wave damping effect of the Rias coast. These results are expected to be used as a basis data for efficient coastal management and to establish marine spatial planning of coastal local governments.