Introduced to Korea in the 1980s, the alien plant “sosnowskyi vine” (gashibak) is now one of the ecosystem-disrupting species that has become a major headache for local governments nationwide. As a climbing plant, it wraps around nearby trees and structures and grows densely, blocking other plants from performing photosynthesis. It even releases substances that inhibit plant growth. It can grow as much as 50 cm a day, and grows even faster in areas with water, such as rivers and streams.

It is also difficult to eradicate. Sosnowskyi vine is an annual plant, but it spreads a massive amount of seeds every year. The seeds are extremely hardy and can survive underground for up to seven years before germinating. Because the plant thrives around rivers and streams, herbicides cannot be used for eradication. As a result, cutting machines or heavy equipment must be used every year to remove it, and if it is not completely eradicated, it quickly proliferates again the following year. This is why local governments across the country invest annual budgets amounting to several hundred million KRW in eradication campaigns for sosnowskyi vine.


Against this backdrop, HanKyung Environmental Conservation, a company founded based on technology developed by researcher Hong Sun-hee and her team at the Department of Plant Landscape Architecture at Hankyong National University, is drawing attention. Their sosnowskyi vine eradication technology, developed under an exclusive patent, is environmentally friendly, highly effective, and has delivered outstanding results in field demonstrations conducted with several local governments.

The core concept of HanKyung Environmental Conservation’s sosnowskyi vine eradication technology is very simple: eliminate only the sosnowskyi vine, at the most appropriate time and in the most appropriate way. The team carries out a first eradication phase when the plant flowers, and a second phase when the seeds are shed. In addition, they use high-pressure water sprayed at a specific pressure and angle to remove the vine’s stems, and then eradicate any sosnowskyi vine that emerges again one year later. This integrated method has been filed for patent protection.


The concept may be simple, but the effect is strong. When HanKyung Environmental Conservation tested its technology over two years in a single area, it was found to eliminate 85–90% of sosnowskyi vine occurrence. The company then went on to conduct demonstrations in various parts of Korea, including Anseong, Gyeonggi Province (181,750㎡), Yeongcheon, North Gyeongsang Province (50,000㎡), Yeouido in Seoul (12,000㎡), and Paju, Gyeonggi Province (10,000㎡). Thanks to strong results in large-scale demonstration sites, the company has supplied its sosnowskyi vine eradication technology across the country, including Anseong in Gyeonggi, Gunsan in North Jeolla, and Wonju in Gangwon.

The advantages of HanKyung Environmental Conservation’s sosnowskyi vine eradication technology go beyond its excellent effectiveness. It is more than 60% cheaper than removal by cutting machines or heavy equipment. Local governments in Korea have spent an average of about KRW 1,100 per square meter on sosnowskyi vine eradication. By applying HanKyung Environmental Conservation’s technology, this cost is reduced to around KRW 248.


Even with only two people working, the operation speed is faster than conventional methods, and the risk of injury is lower. As the technology uses clean water, it is environmentally friendly and can be applied in various locations, including rivers and streams. For environments where the technology is difficult to apply—such as cliffs or areas that are hard to access—the company also has a technology that uses fungal strains to rot the stems and eradicate sosnowskyi vine. Above all, the high-pressure water spraying method eradicates more than 90% of the plant over two applications, reducing both labor and costs.

CEO Koo Ju-gyeong and Director Kim Seung-hwan of HanKyung Environmental Conservation stated that they chose the path of entrepreneurship so that the technology they developed together at Hankyong National University would not remain confined to the laboratory but would demonstrate practical utility in the field. They then recruited field managers to correctly implement their equipment and techniques on site and participated in demonstration projects with local governments. During this phase, they provided their services to local governments free of charge, without collecting fees. The shared value among HanKyung Environmental Conservation’s employees is to eradicate harmful plants using proper methods, saving costs and labor while preventing recurrence.


HanKyung Environmental Conservation is an early-stage startup and faces the challenge of achieving profitability and growth. The company plans first to further advance its sosnowskyi vine eradication technology, distribute it to more local governments, and secure revenue by forming partnerships with regional pest control companies. Until now, eradication has been conducted in the summer to autumn period when sosnowskyi vine grows, but the company is currently developing technology to begin eradication from the sprouting stage. It plans to generate revenue by training pest control companies across the country in this advanced technology and collecting technology fees or by providing outsourced services.

To this end, HanKyung Environmental Conservation is actively engaging in promotional marketing. It aims to make local governments aware of the effectiveness of sosnowskyi vine eradication technology and encourage its active use to significantly reduce labor and costs. The same applies to guidance for regional pest control companies. A further challenge is to enhance support and training systems so that these companies understand and share HanKyung Environmental Conservation’s values and can use the technology smoothly.


The Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation and the Business Incubation Center at Hankyong National University are lending support to tackle these challenges. HanKyung Environmental Conservation is a subsidiary that has received investment from Hankyong National University’s technology holding company. The company has conducted much of its research in collaboration with Hankyong National University and has received support from the Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation in securing office space, media promotion, and production of materials.

Building on its achievements and this support, HanKyung Environmental Conservation is researching eradication technologies for sosnowskyi vine and, more broadly, for harmful organisms in general. It has already developed a technology that uses seawater to eradicate Invasive false aster, one of the harmful plants. The company is also researching eradication technologies for 38 species of harmful organisms, including insects and mammals. In cooperation with researcher Hong Sun-hee and her team at Hankyong National University, who co-developed the sosnowskyi vine eradication technology, the company plans to engage actively in joint research and technology transfer, with the goal of becoming a comprehensive specialist company in the eradication of ecosystem-disrupting organisms.


CEO Koo Ju-gyeong said, “Starting with sosnowskyi vine, we will establish ourselves as a company that eradicates harmful plants and, furthermore, harmful organisms that negatively impact Korea’s ecosystem. In keeping with our company name, which reflects the idea of managing and protecting the environment for future generations, we will strive for the restoration and conservation of the ecosystem as a whole.”

IT Donga Reporter Cha Joo-gyeong (racingcar@itdonga.com)

Popular News