South Korea’s climate pledge to cut coal, lower emissions clash with US push for LNG purchases

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea is pledging to reduce its reliance on coal power as part of a pledge to reduce carbon emissions that contribute to climate change, but that ambition is at odds with a Trump administration push for more natural gas exports from the United States.

recently United Nations climate talksSouth Korea’s new Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment has announced plans to retire most of the country’s coal-fired power plants by 2040 and cut carbon emissions at least in half by 2035.

Experts say this shows that South Korea, a major coal importer with one of the world’s largest fleets of coal power plants, wants to accelerate its transition to renewable energy, which lags behind its neighbors and global averages.

But as part trade agreements Along with President Donald Trump, Seoul is increasing imports of liquefied natural gas, or LNG, from the United States. Climate activists argue such plans could conflict with the country’s promises to curb climate change and lock South Korea into a future dependent on fossil fuels.

Talks are underway for South Korea to invest $350 billion in U.S. projects and purchase up to $100 billion in U.S. energy products, including LNG, a natural gas cooled in liquid form for easy storage and travel. Burns cleaner than coal but still causes planet-warming emissionsespecially from methane.

South Korea’s total LNG imports may not increase if it offsets more U.S. natural gas purchases by reducing imports from other sources, such as Australia and the Middle East.

Still, it’s unclear how South Korea will “manage and consolidate all this conflicting planning around the energy sector,” said Michelle Kim, an energy expert at the U.S.-based Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis.

Power transition leads to climate goals

South Korea’s liberal president Lee Jae Myungwho won early election We campaigned for stronger climate commitments in June. They had softened under his conservative predecessor Yoon Suk Yeoldismissed after a while short-lived martial law declaration.

“As global temperatures rise, we all need to take responsible action on climate, and Korea will have a stronger sense of responsibility in combating the climate crisis,” Kim Sung-hwan, the first Minister of Climate, Energy and Environment, said in an interview with The Associated Press. he said.

South Korea’s goal to reduce carbon emissions by 53% to 61% from 2018 levels has fallen short of climate activists’ expectations. Business lobbies representing major manufacturers had proposed a 48% emissions reduction target.

“This series represents the government’s effort to bring together two different ways of thinking about the country’s economic and climate future,” said Joojin Kim of Seoul-based advocacy group Solutions for Our Climate.

South Korea faces climate dilemma over US deal

The South Korean government has made an ambitious commitment to increase clean energy use even after Trump’s decision. ‘America First’ tariffs expand He encouraged energy negotiations between Seoul and Washington.

as part of broader efforts to prevent higher tariffsSouth Korea offers more imports LNG from USAHowever, the final trade agreement has not been announced.

The duration of the agreement, which is currently under negotiation, could be between 3 and 10 years. industry analysis And US federal documents. Depending on the length of the agreement, South Korea could import between 3 and 9 million tons of American LNG per year.

LNG accounted for almost a fifth of South Korea’s total energy supply last year, according to the International Energy Agency, or IEA. The government’s goal was to reduce this rate to 10.6% by 2038.

Insung Lee, with Greenpeace in Seoul, said the pending trade deal would put South Korea’s climate goals at risk if it increases the total volume of imported LNG, which would likely lead to an oversupply problem and excessive flaring of gas to justify the deal.

“If we simply replace coal power plants with LNG, it means that transitioning out of coal does not actually lead to a green transition and only shifts Korea’s dependence from coal to gas, which undermines the whole spirit of climate action,” Lee said.

South Korea’s energy mix

Renewable energy generated 7% of South Korea’s domestic power in 2022, according to the IEA. South Korean government data shows this rate rose to 10.5% last year; This rate is still one of the lowest among leading economies.

Japan, whose economy has more than doubled, produces 21% of its energy from renewable sources. Spain, whose economy is almost the same size as South Korea, provides 42% of its energy from renewable sources.

Clean energy provided 30% of global electricity production In 2023.

Nuclear power produces the bulk of South Korea’s domestic energy; government data shows that nuclear sources accounted for 31% of total electricity generation last year.

“We will transition to a new energy system focusing on renewable and nuclear energy while phasing out coal,” energy minister Kim said. He said South Korea would use LNG as a “supplementary or emergency energy source” to compensate for irregularities in renewable energy supply.

In early December, South Korea set another goal of increasing offshore wind power capacity to 4 gigawatts, about 10 times the current level.

IEEFA’s Michelle Kim said South Korean companies that did not reduce carbon emissions could see this as a competitive disadvantage.

Many global industries including Transport And aviationHe said they face pressure to reduce their emissions by providing incentives for low emitters and creating deterrents for high emitters.

“This is a huge risk,” he said. “South Korea needs to accelerate renewable energy deployment and break away from high dependence on the fossil fuel industry.”

Coal trade braces for South Korea cuts

Last month climate talksSouth Korea has joined the Powering Past Coal Alliance, a group of businesses, organizations and governments supporting the green energy transition.

Bruce Douglas of the Global Renewable Energy Alliance said it was mainly a symbolic move. “But this is a very clear indication of the government’s intention to move away from fossil fuels and towards clean energy.”

South Korea imports almost all of its coal, largely from Australia, Indonesia and Russia, and the transition to renewable energy is bound to impact regional markets.

James Bowen of Climate Analytics said South Korea’s commitment to retire 40 of its 61 coal fields by 2040 could be a “forced transition” for coal exporters in the Asia-Pacific region. “It is a fact that they will have to face this downturn in the market.”

“The writing is on the wall,” Bowen said. “One of the world’s biggest importers, one of its biggest customers, is starting to move away from coal.”

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