Environment Minister Kim Sung-whan speaks during a press briefing at Dongjak-gu, Seoul, Tuesday. (Ministry of Environment) Kim says he wouldn’t want to be environment minister if it meant leading a nuclear phase-out
South Korea’s Environment Minister Kim Sung-whan on Tuesday said nuclear power would remain in Korea’s energy mix while the country works to rapidly reduce coal, oil and natural gas as part of its efforts to tackle climate change.
At his first press briefing since the government unveiled its reorganization plan — which would expand the Environment Ministry’s role to cover both energy and environment policies under the tentative name Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment — the minister stated that a complete nuclear phase-out under the new ministry would not be pursued.
“Nuclear power is certainly dangerous, so it is not something I wholeheartedly encourage,” Kim said. “But given that we have been operating reactors for decades, have accumulated expertise and are still in a situation where the share of renewables is extremely low, the reactors we currently operate must be appropriately mixed into our energy portfolio.”
Kim further reiterated that the country’s perspective toward nuclear power “must somewhat change,” adding that he “wouldn’t want to be the minister of climate, energy and environment as someone leading a nuclear phase-out.”
His remarks reflect the political sensitivity surrounding nuclear energy in South Korea, where the previous Moon Jae-in administration’s “nuclear phase-out” policy drew fierce resistance from industry and labor unions.
The recent restructuring has also drawn criticism from some lawmakers and labor groups, with Rep. Lee Un-ju of the Democratic Party of Korea criticizing the shift as something that would undermine energy security and the Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power union staging protests over its possible impacts on the nuclear industry and job security.
Regarding Lee’s comments, Kim pushed back, stating that it is “not right to draw a dichotomy where the environment is only regulation and energy is only promotion.”
“Each country organizes its governance differently, but many European states already have ministries that combine climate, energy and environment, and Korea is only now seeking to do so,” added Kim. “It is not because their circumstances are any less complex. The reality is that the climate crisis is extremely serious, and to address it, we must rapidly cut coal, oil and gas, while at the same time fostering new industries.”
Regarding the labor union’s pushback, Kim added that the ministry will make sure to address their concerns “through consultation,” but did not mention how the consultations would be carried out.
During Tuesday’s press briefing, the Environment Minister also stressed the importance of integration surrounding climate and energy policies.
Allowing the ministry to oversee both climate and energy — responsibilities previously split with the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy — is, he said, key to meeting Korea’s 2030 emissions pledge and staying competitive in global green industries.
“Meeting our 2030 target is extremely difficult, but it is non-negotiable because it is an international commitment and the climate crisis is accelerating,” said Kim. “What matters more than setting a 2035 goal now is delivering on the 40 percent reduction within the next five years.”
He noted that closer coordination has been crucial in areas like electric vehicles, where subsidies and industrial policy were split between the Environment Ministry and the Industry Ministry, making it difficult to operate a coherent policy.
“Rather than dividing responsibilities, we must move as one body,” the minister continued, describing the newly organized Environment Ministry and the Industry Ministry as “brothers” that would regularly coordinate policies together.
Meanwhile, an Environment Ministry official confirmed that the details of what the upcoming ministry would cover were “still in the making,” and that the government hopes it will officially launch in early October.
lee.jungjoo@heraldcorp.com