An era of the climate crisis (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Dec. 19 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s National Assembly took a major step toward expanding climate protections on Thursday, approving a bill that formally defines “climate-vulnerable populations” and requires the government to prioritize their safety in national climate policy.
The Special Committee on the Climate Crisis passed a bipartisan amendment to the country’s Carbon Neutrality and Green Growth Framework Act, merging several proposals from both ruling and opposition lawmakers.
The revision establishes, for the first time, a legal definition for groups most exposed to climate impacts — including older adults, children, low-income households and outdoor laborers — who face heightened risks due to biological, social or geographic conditions.
Under the legislation, national and local governments must assess how climate policies affect these vulnerable groups and develop tailored support measures, such as disaster-preparedness plans and risk-mitigation programs.
The amendment also strengthens accountability in public institutions, requiring constitutional bodies and other state agencies to set carbon-reduction targets and submit reports to the National Assembly when making changes. It further mandates transition plans for green building standards.
To broaden public involvement, the bill creates a permanent Climate Citizens’ Assembly intended to gather deliberative input on major government policies. It also calls for the establishment of a National Institute of Climate Science to oversee climate research, data production and interagency coordination.
The reform adjusts the size of the National Climate Crisis Response Committee, reducing its membership from up to 100 members to a range of 30 to 60 and adding experts in climate finance and green investment.
The legislation will move to the next stage of parliamentary review before a final vote.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
