Kim Sung-hwan vows to accelerate renewable energy transition

Minister of Climate, Environment and Energy Kim Sung-hwan said Tuesday that the government would pursue an early achievement of more than 100 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030 and build a balanced energy mix to support a major leap forward through megaprojects.

Kim made the remarks at the national audit of the National Assembly's Climate, Energy, Environment and Labor Committee, saying the ministry would "eliminate bottlenecks in renewable energy expansion by overhauling the grid system and its operations, while also securing community acceptance to accelerate power grid construction."

He added that the ministry would modernize the electricity market by reforming electricity tariffs with regional balanced development in mind, phasing out coal-fired power generation based on a just transition, and consolidating power generation companies in line with the broader energy transition.

Kim also said the ministry would push to accelerate decarbonization to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

"We will establish a greenhouse gas reduction roadmap reflecting the 2035 nationally determined contribution, strengthen reduction incentives under the emissions trading system, and lead a comprehensive decarbonization transition across the industrial, heating and cooling, and transportation sectors," Kim said. "We will ensure that climate action takes root as an everyday practice so that everyone can stand together for carbon neutrality."

He added that the ministry would support energy-vulnerable groups without leaving anyone behind, and strengthen adaptive capacity based on the Climate Crisis Adaptation Act. "We will make the decarbonization energy industry a leading export sector and stimulate domestic and foreign investment to secure new growth engines for the future," he said.

Kim also presented a "comfortable and safe living environment" as one of the ministry's key priorities.

"We will strengthen linkages among water resources for flexible management, diversify supply sources to secure the maximum available water resources, and enhance flood response capacity to prepare for extreme climate events," he said.

Kim further said the ministry would create an environment where wildlife and people coexist, and ensure that all citizens can enjoy ecological assets such as national parks. "We will establish resource security through the circular use of critical minerals and advance toward a plastic-free society, from everyday life to industry," he said.