Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment Officially Launched... "Golden Time for a Grand Transition to a Decarbonized Green Civilization"

The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment, which will oversee the country's response to the climate crisis and direct energy and environmental policies, was officially launched on October 1.

Kim Seonghwan, the inaugural Minister of the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment, stated at the launch ceremony held at the Government Complex Sejong on the same day, "We will pursue an unwavering decarbonized green transformation across all sectors, including power, industry, transportation, buildings, and daily life."

He explained, "The grand transition from a carbon-based civilization to a decarbonized green civilization is now an unavoidable challenge for survival," adding, "We will treat the next five years as a golden time to secure a sustainable future for both humanity and Korea."

Minister Kim pointed out, "Since the emergence of humanity, the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide has never exceeded 280 ppm, but as of this year, it has surpassed 430 ppm," and added, "The global average temperature has already risen more than 1.5 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial levels."

He continued, "If this trend continues, the concentration will reach 450 ppm in the early 2030s, causing the Earth's temperature to rise by more than 2 degrees Celsius," and warned, "The scientific community has cautioned that if the temperature exceeds 2 degrees, the global economy will collapse, and if it exceeds 3 degrees, the very system of human civilization will break down."

He warned, "The carbon-based civilization that has brought prosperity to humanity for over 250 years since the Industrial Revolution can no longer guarantee a sustainable life," and emphasized, "The Earth will not wait for humanity."

Park Iljun, Executive Vice Chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Giving a Greeting
(Seoul=Yonhap News) On October 1, Park Iljun, Executive Vice Chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, is giving a greeting at the CEO breakfast meeting hosted by Minister Kim Seonghwan of the Ministry of Climate Energy and Environment, held at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry building in Jung-gu, Seoul. 2025.10.1 [Provided by the Ministry of Climate Energy and Environment. Resale and DB prohibited]
Photo by Yonhap News

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Regarding the significance of the ministry's launch, Minister Kim said, "Previously, the Ministry of Environment was in charge of overall climate policy, while the Ministry of Industry handled greenhouse gas reduction measures, which led to fragmented policy implementation," and added, "Now, both planning and execution will be handled by a single ministry."

He reiterated, "We will pursue an unwavering decarbonized green transformation across all sectors, including power, industry, transportation, buildings, and daily life," and announced, "The 2035 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) for greenhouse gas reduction, which will be submitted at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in November this year, will be set at a responsible level, taking into account the environmental rights of the people and the sustainable lives of future generations."

Minister Kim also presented a plan to introduce market mechanisms for an effective decarbonization strategy. He said, "We will expand the proportion of paid allocations in the emissions trading system and reinvest the funds raised into supporting companies' decarbonization transitions," emphasizing, "We will create a virtuous cycle where companies' reduction efforts directly translate into profits."

He further stated, "We will actively introduce innovative technologies such as hydrogen-based steelmaking and plastic pyrolysis, and transform the linear economy of resource extraction, production, use, and disposal into a circular economy to minimize resource consumption." He added, "We will electrify all powered machinery, including not only internal combustion engine vehicles but also construction equipment, agricultural machinery, and ships, and promote the adoption of heat pumps instead of city gas to actively support decarbonization in the building sector."

'From Tomorrow, the Ministry of Climate Energy and Environment'

(Sejong=Yonhap News) Reporter Bae Jaeman = With the government reorganization plan to transfer the core energy policy functions to the Ministry of Environment, expanding it to the Ministry of Climate Energy and Environment, confirmed by the Cabinet meeting resolution on the 30th, the expanded Ministry of Climate Energy and Environment will officially launch on the 1st of next month.

On the 30th, the installation of the Ministry of Climate Energy and Environment signboard was in full swing on the outer wall of the Government Complex Sejong. 2025.9.30

scoop@yna.co.kr (End)

Photo by Bae Jaeman

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Plans to expand renewable energy were also presented. Minister Kim said, "We will expand the current renewable energy supply, which stands at 34 gigawatts (GW), to 100 GW by 2030," and added, "We will design the expanded renewable energy so that the increased power supply returns to citizens as 'sunshine dividends,' 'wind dividends,' and 'village dividends' in the form of income." To achieve this, the ministry set out to transform the fossil fuel-based power grid into an intelligent, renewable energy-centered grid, and to build what is being called an 'energy highway.'

Minister Kim stated, "We will support Korea, as a manufacturing powerhouse, to lead the global market in carbon-neutral industries such as solar power, wind power, electric vehicles, batteries, heat pumps, and virtual power plants (VPPs)," and added, "We will expand green finance and enact the Carbon Neutral Industry Act to establish a continuous legal foundation."

He also emphasized the establishment of a climate safety net to protect public safety and livelihoods. Minister Kim said, "To prepare for increasingly extreme abnormal weather, we will completely overhaul flood and drought infrastructure, and establish proactive response systems based on precise climate forecasting in vulnerable areas," and continued, "We will protect vulnerable groups from heat waves and cold spells, and promote public stability through measures such as responding to climate-related price fluctuations and expanding climate insurance."

Minister Kim stated, "Guaranteeing the environmental rights of the people is the most fundamental and essential mission of the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment," and promised, "We will provide environmental services that meet public expectations, such as clean water, skies free from fine dust, resource circulation, biodiversity protection, and prevention of chemical accidents."

He added, "All policies must be pursued within the limits of the Earth's ecological capacity," and said, "We will maximize the synergy between climate, energy, and environmental policies to create a sustainable society."

He further stated, "In the future, advanced nations will be those that lead not only the AI transformation but also the green transition," and declared, "As the ministry leading K-GX (Green Transformation), the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment will play a pivotal role in enabling Korea to become a leading nation in decarbonized green civilization."

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