{"id":2203976,"date":"2024-02-28T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-02-27T23:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/?p=2203976"},"modified":"2024-02-27T17:17:01","modified_gmt":"2024-02-27T08:17:01","slug":"south-koreas-ruling-partys-climate-commitment-clashes-with-nuclear-ambitions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/2024\/02\/south-koreas-ruling-partys-climate-commitment-clashes-with-nuclear-ambitions\/","title":{"rendered":"South Korea\u2019s ruling party\u2019s climate commitment clashes with nuclear ambitions"},"content":{"rendered":"
Ruling People Power Party (PPP) interim leader Han Dong-hoon <\/span>announced<\/span><\/a> on Tuesday campaign pledges aimed at combating climate change and endorsing renewable energy. These initiatives propose to significantly increase the national budget for climate response, elevating it from the current $1.8 billion (2.4 trillion won) to $3.76 billion (5 trillion won) by 2027.<\/span><\/p>\n Additionally, the party\u2019s pledge includes revising the electricity pricing model to encourage using non-carbon energy sources, such as nuclear and wind power, alongside a push for increased investments in the hydrogen energy sector.<\/span><\/p>\n Why It Matters<\/b><\/p>\n Han\u2019s pledge signals a growing recognition among South Korean leaders that climate change is not just an environmental issue but a critical economic and societal challenge that requires immediate and substantial policy interventions. France <\/span>excluded<\/span><\/a> electric vehicles (EVs) manufactured in South Korea from its subsidy policy in December. Among South Korean carmakers, Hyundai Motor\u2019s Kona SUVs, produced in the Czech Republic, were the only model eligible for the French subsidy.<\/span><\/p>\n However, the Yoon administration\u2019s pivot toward nuclear power as a cornerstone of South Korea\u2019s energy policy may backfire amid <\/span>growing global scrutiny<\/span><\/a> over nuclear safety and waste management. President Yoon Suk-yeol previously ordered <\/span>investigations<\/span><\/a> into the decision-makers behind allegedly corrupt solar energy projects pursued under the previous Moon Jae-in administration.<\/span><\/p>\n