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[Journalism Internship] Climate change is rushing Korea’s spring

Published: 11 Jun. 2025, 13:51 Updated: 11 Jun. 2025, 15:04

Snow starts falling on the top of cherry blossoms in one street of Jongno District, central Seoul, in the middle of spring on April 12. [YONHAP]

On March 25, the fourth day since the fire started in North Gyeongsang Uiseong County, the fire spread to Hahwari, Danchon-myeon, Uiseong County due to wildfire sparks blown in by strong winds. [YONHAP]

PARK JAE-IN, CHLOE JO, PARK JEE-IN

Seoul experienced its first mid-April snowfall since 1907, as the cherry blossoms bloomed unusually early this year, creating a mystical collision of winter and spring in the capital.

In late March, cherry blossoms flowered from the trees, filling the air with a sweet and wonderful scent. As people walk the streets filled with flowers, enjoying their festivals and scenic views, many may wonder: Why did they bloom so early this year? Why are the cherry blossoms already here, not even in the middle of spring, but as winter is fading?

Despite the early blooming, Seoul experienced its first mid-April snow since 1907 on April 12, an anomalous spring event. The unexpected snow in the middle of the early cherry blossom season indicates the strange shift in weather patterns. However, this might just be one of many signs concerning climate change.

The early bloom period is attributed to a rapid rise in temperature due to climate change, as reported by Topstarnews. In fact, Jeju Island was expected to be the first area to see cherry blossoms around March 21, followed by Busan on March 23 and Daegu on March 24. This earlier start of blooming, which happens mostly around the end of March instead of April, suggests that the cherry blossom season has sped up significantly.

The effect of climate change on Korea

There have been multiple wildfire occurrences in Korea, which led to countless injuries and, tragically, deaths. As of this year, 244 wildfires have been reported — 2.4 times more than last year, according to CNN World. Many in Korea have also received numerous alerts about extreme wind conditions, which were a main factor in spreading the flames further and worsening the situation.

The destructive impact of the strong winds was evident, as they have significantly exacerbated the wildfires, leading to a greater loss of life as well as land. The inferno in southeastern Korea has burned through 88,500 acres, roughly half the size of New York City, claiming 27 lives, according to the BBC. This incident once again revealed the severity of the climate crisis, as the temperature rose above 20 degrees Celsius (68 degrees Fahrenheit), which is a high figure for spring, according to an analysis by Climate Central.

Recently, the summer weather in Korea has noticeably gotten hotter and humid compared to last year, according to data from WeatherSpark showing that that average daily high temperature increased from 25 degrees Celsius to 27 degrees Celsius. The resource added that the average temperatures have increased in all seasons, especially during spring and winter. This year, the expected daytime maximum temperature in Korea has been predicted as 28 degrees Celsius, and is expected to be high in heat and humidity based on long-term weather averages. The predicted temperature is even higher than the expected average, indicating that not only will the average heat increase, but it will also result in higher humidity and extreme heat during this year’s summer.

What is really behind Korea’s changing climate?

The hidden factor of this urgent situation is driven by human activities involved with the extreme release of greenhouse gasses and burning fossil fuels. These gas emissions significantly affect the atmosphere negatively by trapping heat, resulting in frequent heat waves, uncommon seasonal patterns and continuous extreme weather events.

Korea’s climate commitments

Despite its relatively small geographic size, Korea is one of the leading emitters of greenhouse gas. It is clearly shown through American Progress, which claims that Korea remains the “world’s 13th-largest greenhouse gas emitter.”

Back in 2009, Korea targeted a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent from its business-asusual (BAU) level by 2020. Yet, it failed to do so, causing the country to trail behind others in terms of sustainability advancement, and getting on the list of ‘highly insufficient’ nations by Climate Action Tracker as of June 2023. With a new climate goal set in 2021, Korea plans to rebound by reducing 37 percent of its BAU levels by 2030, as stated by Korea’s Ministry of the Environment.

Where are we at?

Korea’s leading energy source is fossil fuels, which make up about 60 percent of its electricity supply. To reduce this, the country is shifting toward nuclear power, which is a popular source of clean electricity in other nations as well. Making up 30 percent of the nation’s electricity source, nuclear power contributes to a significant progression. Despite the potential risks of radioactive waste and harm to humans, well-built nuclear plants, through the installation of tough barriers and proper waste disposal, could be a strong way to address these risks.

The two main political parties promised the fulfillment of ambitious goals that could be met via greater investment in renewable energy. Technologies such as wind turbines, solar panels and hydropower would aid Korea’s transition along with nuclear energy. Stronger policy enforcement should be implemented to make meeting the 2030 goals a guarantee.

BY PARK JAE-IN, CHLOE JO, PARK JEE-IN [[email protected], [email protected], [email protected]]