Environment Minister Kim Myoung-ja said Monday that South Korea will adopt a "Green GDP" this year calculated by deducting environmental costs from the gross domestic product.

Kim said in her report to President Kim Dae-jung on her ministry's 2001 operation plan that the adoption is aimed at enhancing the nation's life quality and the economy.

Green GDP is not an established term in the academic world, but it is similar to the definition of EDP (environmentally adjusted Net Domestic Product), an indicator obtained by deducting environmental costs from Net Domestic Product and dividing it by the total population of the country of reference.

The calculation of the Green GDP is part of the "Eco-2 Project," which focuses on reviving the environment and the economy simultaneously.

The project aims to improve the public's quality of life and maximize efficiency in industrial development while minimizing damage to the environment.

The ministry will also develop an "Environmental-Economic Combined Index," a quantitative measurement of the economic value of environmental activities.