Kim Sung-hwan vows to transform South Korea into an 'electric nation'

Kim Sung-hwan, minister of climate, environment and energy, on Thursday reaffirmed his vision to restructure South Korea's energy consumption around electricity, describing the goal as a shift toward an "electric nation."

Speaking on the YouTube program "Kim Eojun's News Factory," Kim said the global trend is moving away from gas-based heating toward electric heat pumps in buildings and homes. "We have included heat pumps in the renewable energy support program starting this year and are expanding their rollout, beginning with Jeju," he said.

He also projected that newly built apartment complexes will begin adopting all-electric heating and cooling systems without gas piping as early as next year.

Kim said the government plans to introduce a cash settlement scheme for surplus electricity generated by residential solar panels, with the aim of accelerating the spread of distributed renewable energy.

On transmission infrastructure, Kim outlined plans to add layers to existing power transmission towers to cut the need for new tower construction by about 40 percent, expand underground cabling near residential areas, and strengthen compensation for communities along transmission line corridors.

Addressing the restructuring of state-owned power generation companies, Kim said the five coal-focused power firms should be merged and transformed into renewable energy-centered enterprises. "This will also allow us to pursue a just transition for coal workers in a more systematic way," he said.

On meeting South Korea's 2030 nationally determined contribution targets, Kim acknowledged the challenge ahead. "The Lee Jae Myung administration faces the difficult task of cutting about 200 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions over five years," he said, adding that the government would pursue the goal through reducing coal power generation and expanding the adoption of electric vehicles and heat pumps.

Kim stressed that national competitiveness in the AI era and climate action are not mutually exclusive. "By expanding the power grid and scaling up renewable energy, South Korea can become the first country in the world to solve both challenges at the same time," he said.