As globalization progresses, human activities, such as travel and trade, are rapidly increasing beyond national boundaries. It is increasingly recognized that places, such as ports and airports, where trade occurs play a major role as an introduction pathway for alien species. In this study, we focused on evaluating the possibility of introduction of Alert Alien Species (AAS) through trade data among countries. The natural and distribution range of AAS were analyzed along with import data by country. There were large differences between the number of AAS distributed in a country and the import weight of items related to the import of AAS from the country. Fish, which account for 76% of the import weight of AAS, 43 and 40 species of the 84 species of AAS were distributed in US and Russia, respectively. However, the import weight of items related to the import of fish designated as AAS from these countries were extremely low. This finding suggests that trade, which is the main introduction pathway, is not taken into account in the designation of AAS. For future management plans for non-introduced alien species, species with a high possibility of introduction into South Korea through trade should be prioritized using import data.

The number of alien species introduced into South Korea continues to increase over the years. In particular, several plants have been introduced as ornamentals. Ludwigia peploides, which is native to the Americas and Australia, is believed to have been planted as an ornamental aquatic plant called “water primrose” and “primrose”. It spread to natural ecosystems through rivers, and its distribution is gradually expanding in Suwon, Hwaseong, Busan, and Jeju. However, there has been no specific study on the ecological risk of L. peploides introduced into South Korea. This study, therefore, investigates the distribution status and ecological risks of L. peploides in South Korea through field surveys and allelopathic material analysis, as well as assessing abiotic risk factors. The distribution was confirmed at a total of 19 sites, with high-density mats of a single species forming along the water’s edge and on the water surface. The maximum distribution area was 13,922 m² in Chilgok Reservoir in Anseong. Stems and plant fragments transported along waterways were continuously forming colonies through vegetative propagation. When evaluating the overall risk, it is determined that L. peploides has a high potential to cause significant damage to the ecosystem if not managed promptly. Therefore, continuous monitoring is necessary to effectively manage and prevent the habitat expansion of L. peploides. The results of this study are expected to aid in the identification of the current distribution and potential ecological risks of L. peploides in South Korea, providing essential data for ecological risk assessment and the development of effective management strategies.

Along with transportation development, climate change and socio-economic changes, invasive alien species (IAS) are causing a significant decline in biodiversity around the world. Internationally, policies for pre-invasion management of IAS are being emphasised to minimise damage from biological invasions. In South Korea, through the 2^nd Alien Species Management Plan (2019–2023), IAS that are not yet present in the country but are likely to be introduced are designated as Alert Alien Species (AAS). In this study, the overall process of AAS designation is summarised and improvements to the current system are presented. To select AAS, an invasive alien species database (IASD) of 8,456 species was built by integrating the IAS lists from many countries. Amongst them, 1,534 species, included in IASD at genus, family and order level, were excluded and 3,298 species confirmed to have been introduced to South Korea were excluded from the AAS candidate species. After the creation and review of species profiles by experts, 150 species were finally designated as AAS in 2023. The AAS discovery process needs to reflect international trends of IAS and be continuously supplemented through policy research of other countries. In addition, the IAS management system in South Korea, in which various ministries play their own roles with sufficient data sharing, should be systematically linked from introduction to control of IAS.

Evaluating the ecological risks of living modified organisms (LMOs) before their commercial release is essential for safeguarding biodiversity and ecosystem stability. LMO confined field trials offer controlled environments that simulate natural conditions, enabling researchers to assess ecological impacts, particularly on non-target organisms such as arthropods. This study investigated the distributional patterns of arthropods within the Ministry of Environment’s LMO confined field facility in Seocheon, South Korea, over a 2-year period (2020-2021), to establish baseline ecological data prior to LMO environmental release experiments. Arthropods were collected across eight survey rounds using sticky traps, aspirators, and sweep nets, and identified using national taxonomic references. A total of 132 species (2,309 individuals) in 2020 and 154 species (3,352 individuals) in 2021 were recorded, with an overall total of 263 species across both years. Hemiptera was the most dominant order across both years, while Coleoptera and Diptera showed marked declines in 2021. In contrast, Araneae, Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera, Orthoptera, and Odonata increased substantially. Moreover, 104 species not observed in the 2020 survey were newly identified during the 2021 field survey. Dominant species also shifted between years, suggesting that local environmental factors and seasonal dynamics influence community composition. The arthropod dataset established through this study can serve as an important ecological reference for future ecological risk assessments of LMOs and the monitoring of non-target organisms.

This study analyzed the occurrence patterns and changes of alien plant species on Anmado Island, located in Nagwol-myeon, Yeonggwang-gun, Jeollanam-do, based on floristic surveys conducted in 2012, 2020, and 2024. A total of 482 plant taxa were identified, and the number of alien species increased from 27 taxa in 2012 to 57 taxa in 2024, representing approximately a 2.1-fold increase. Notably, the invasive alien species Solanum carolinense was observed in all three surveys, suggesting a potential for establishment on the island. The continuous occurrence and increase in alien plant taxa indicate that habitat disturbance may have been a major contributing factor, as similarly noted in previous studies. Due to their geographic isolation and limited ecological resources, island ecosystems are particularly vulnerable to biological invasions. Therefore, the establishment of long-term monitoring systems and field-based management strategies involving local residents is essential. The findings of this study may serve as baseline data for future management and policy development of alien plants in island ecosystem.