With great power comes great responsibility

By Jang Daul

"With great power comes great responsibility." Whether you attribute this quote to the Spider-Man movies, Voltaire, or Winston Churchill, it makes perfect sense.

This quote comes to my mind when I think of the climate policies of South Korea. In my opinion, while Korea now has increased its hard and soft power ― from being a poor country in the 1960s ― it is not taking responsibility for the global climate crisis, even though it has substantially contributed to the environmental destruction that humankind faces.

The gross domestic product (GDP) of Korea in 2021 was $1,811 billion, positioning it as the world's 10th largest economy. The gross national income (GNI) per capita also increased fourfold in the last three decades to the level of roughly $35,000. In addition, Korea ranked 6th in the 2023 Military Strength Ranking published by Global Firepower.

Not only Korea's hard power, but its soft power has also remarkably strengthened. Korean dramas, films, and pop music are now globally regarded. As a result, Korea ranked 12th in the Global Soft Power Index 2022 published by Brand Finance.

The dramatic rise of Korea in the 21st century was not even expected by its own people. This is represented in the Korean TV series, "Reborn Rich," where a character dreams of a Korean film receiving the Academy Award for Best Picture; a K-pop song topping the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart; and the Korean national soccer team going to the semifinals at the World Cup; as if they were miracles. However, all those seemingly impossible dreams have become reality.

Korea's elevated status has led it to become one of the member states of the G-20, as well as sometimes being invited as an observer to the G-7 summit. However, when it comes to overcoming the global climate crisis, Korea has been nothing more than a "Yamche."

There is no direct English translation for this Korean word. It could be translated as a free-rider, or someone who is self-interested and entirely shameless. Korea is the 10th largest annual carbon emitter, with one of the highest emissions per-capita levels among the OECD members.

However, far from reducing carbon emissions quickly and boldly, Korea has not even shifted from increasing to decreasing. The current national greenhouse gas reduction target, which aims to reduce by 40 percent (in effect 30 percent) by 2030 compared to the 2018 level, is insufficient. But even that seems unlikely to be followed.

To overcome the greatest threat in human history ― global climate change ― Korea must do its part to match the responsibilities and roles that have been placed on it. However, the visionary approach, nationwide efforts, innovation, and creativity that brought about democratization, industrialization, and cultural prosperity, are difficult to find in this tackling of climate change.

Climate risks topped the recently published Global Risk Report 2023 by the World Economic Forum. The failure to mitigate climate change; the failure of climate change adaptation; and natural disasters and extreme weather events; ranked first, second, and third, among the top 10 risks for the coming decades.

In his special address at the 2023 Davos Forum, President Yoon Suk Yeol said, "Tackling the climate crisis is another task of great importance for all of us." He also emphasized that "as a key means to bolster our energy security while reducing our reliance on fossil fuels, we must turn our attention to nuclear power and clean hydrogen."

However, the key is not the reallocation of the nuclear energy mix. The Yoon administration recently announced a plan to increase the nuclear share up to 32.4 percent by 2030, compared to the previous administration's plan of 23.9 percent. Yet more importantly, the share of fossil fuels for 2030 increased from 41.3 to 42.6, and the share of new and renewable energy decreased from 30.2 to 21.6 percent. In short, the increase in nuclear energy doesn't effectively help reduce carbon emissions in the power sector.

It is very clear that with such a plan it would be hardly possible for Korea to do its fair share to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement which Korea also ratified. Regardless of whether using more or less nuclear energy, atomic power cannot dramatically and quickly reduce carbon emissions in the lead-up to 2030, because it is too slow to be deployed, even without consideration of its safety and economics.

A proven faster, cheaper, and safer solution is renewable energy. As the German Chancellor said in his Davos speech: "Whether you are a business leader or a climate activist, a security policy specialist or an investor, it is now crystal clear to each and every one of us that the future belongs solely to renewables. For cost reasons, for environmental reasons, for security reasons; in the long run, renewables promise the best returns."

In accordance with the Framework Act on Carbon Neutrality and Green Growth, the Korean government should establish the first master plan by March 2023. It is a plan that should finally show how differently the Yoon administration excuses the big gap between the scientifically required global goal and the current insufficient Korean government target, as well as unveiling its annual and sectoral plan to achieve the insufficient goal.

Jang Daul (daul.jang@greenpeace.org) is a government relations and advocacy specialist at Greenpeace East Asia Seoul Office.