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Archive by category Environment

Industry Groups Warn of ₩27 Trillion Carbon-Credit Burden Under New Emissions Plan; Government Disputes Estimate

SEOUL, Dec. 4 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s major business lobby warned that companies may face nearly 27 trillion won (US$20.4 billion) in carbon-credit purchasing costs over the next five years under the government’s newly announced emissions trading allocation plan. The climate ministry swiftly rejected the estimate, calling it an exaggerated projection based on flawed assumptions. [...]

Ahead of COP30, Seoul Adopts Stronger Carbon Reduction Pledge

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 [...]

Tropical Mosquito Species Found in Korea for First Time, Raising Climate-Linked Health Concerns

SEOUL, Nov. 3 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korean health authorities have confirmed the discovery of a tropical mosquito species capable of transmitting infectious diseases such as West Nile fever, marking the first verified presence of the insect in the country and heightening concerns about climate-related shifts in disease vectors. According to the Korea Disease Control and [...]

Chungnam to Build Eco-Friendly Recycling Plant Turning River Debris into Wood Pellets

HONGSEONG, Oct. 16 (Korea Bizwire) — South Chungcheong Province will build an eco-friendly recycling facility in Seocheon to convert massive amounts of driftwood and debris washed down the Geum River each summer into renewable wood pellets, officials said Thursday. The new center, to be located in the Janghang National Ecological Industrial Complex, aims to establish a [...]

South Korea Ranks Low Among ASEAN+3 in Climate Finance Response, Report Finds

SEOUL, Oct. 15 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s central bank and financial regulator have received below-average marks for their response to the climate crisis, ranking in the lower tier among ASEAN+3 economies, according to a new international assessment. The report by Positive Money, a U.K.-based think tank, evaluated 13 countries in the ASEAN+3 group — comprising [...]

More Than Half of Fine Dust in Korea Traced to China, New Research Shows

SEOUL, Oct. 9 (Korea Bizwire) — More than half of South Korea’s fine dust pollution during the winter months comes from China, according to new government data underscoring the persistent cross-border nature of the country’s air quality problem. A report released Wednesday by the National Institute of Environmental Research (NIER) found that 55 percent of ultrafine [...]

Jeju’s Reusable Container Program Surges Past 2,000 Orders, Expands Islandwide Push Against Plastic

JEJU, Oct. 1 (Korea Bizwire) — Jeju Province’s pilot program encouraging food delivery in reusable containers has surpassed 2,000 orders in less than two months, signaling strong public support for the island’s ambitious campaign to curb single-use plastics. Launched on Aug. 13 in Jeju City’s Yeon-dong and Nohyeong-dong districts, the “Yonggi-inneun Jumun” (“Courageous Order”) service allows [...]

Jeju to Launch Pilot Program for Reusing EV Batteries as Seoul Weighs National Recycling Mandate

JEJU, Sept. 30 (Korea Bizwire) — Jeju Province will roll out a three-year pilot program to repurpose used electric-vehicle batteries into agricultural machinery and energy storage systems, underscoring South Korea’s broader push to strengthen its battery recycling industry. The project, set to run through 2027, will supply 100 devices—including farm equipment, transport robots, and streetlights [...]

Koreans Embrace Greener Traditions to Cut Holiday Waste

SEOUL, Sept. 29 (Korea Bizwire) — As South Korea prepares for the Chuseok harvest holiday, when household waste typically spikes, local governments and businesses are stepping up efforts to promote greener practices — from reusable wrapping to bans on artificial flowers at cemeteries. Officials in North Chungcheong Province estimate that nearly 20,000 tons of waste [...]

Balancing Homes and Habitats: South Korea’s Unlikely Standoff With the Mongkoi

SEOUL, Sept. 15 (Korea Bizwire) — When South Korea announced its latest housing policy this month, officials were not only grappling with soaring property prices and supply shortages in the Seoul metropolitan area. They were also contending with a tiny, nocturnal amphibian with outsized influence: the Mongkoi. The Mongkoi (also known as narrow-mouth frog), listed [...]