Prime Minister Kim Min-seok speaks during a meeting of the Presidential Commission on Carbon Neutrality and Green Growth held at the government complex in Seoul on Nov. 10, 2025. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Nov. 10 (Korea Bizwire) — A presidential commission said Monday it has approved a goal to reduce South Korea’s greenhouse gas emissions by 53-61 percent from 2018 levels by 2035 in a bid to accelerate the transition to carbon neutrality while enhancing industrial competitiveness.
The Presidential Commission on Carbon Neutrality and Green Growth said it endorsed the nationally determined contribution (NDC) target for 2035, slightly higher than the government’s initial proposal to cut the emissions by 50-60 percent.
The government will finalize the emissions goal at a Cabinet meeting Tuesday and officially announce the plan at the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Belem, Brazil, which begins on Tuesday and runs through Nov. 21, the commission said in a release.
Under the Paris Agreement, each country is required to submit and update its NDC every five years, outlining efforts to curb greenhouse gas emissions.
South Korea previously submitted its 2030 NDC in 2021, pledging to cut emissions by 40 percent from 2018 levels.
Prime Minister Kim Min-seok said the government set the target after collecting opinions from experts, civic groups and the National Assembly and pledged support for industries to achieve it.
“The decision was made to accelerate the government’s transition toward carbon neutrality and boost industrial competitiveness,” Kim said. “The government will craft a comprehensive support strategy covering funding, technology development and regulatory improvements to achieve the target.”
Kim said the government will also enhance the carbon emissions trading system to promote a market-based approach to managing carbon emissions and provide incentives for companies that actively cut emissions.
South Korea has operated a domestic emissions trading system since 2015, though the market has been criticized for failing to meet its goal of encouraging emissions reductions, as a record surplus of carbon credits has kept prices at historically low levels.
The business community voiced concerns that the proposed target would undermine competitiveness in the energy-intensive manufacturing sectors, such as petrochemical, steel and autos.
To achieve the 2035 emission goal, the government said it will expand the use of renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power, and establish a nationwide next-generation power grid.
(Yonhap)
