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Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment must deliver real results

Published: 20 Oct. 2025, 00:04

Yoo Yeon-chul

The author is the former ambassador for Climate Change and Head of the Reset Korea Climate Response Committee.

The newly launched Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment marks the first major government reorganization under the Lee Jae Myung administration. Most of the energy-related responsibilities from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy — except for resource industries and nuclear power exports — have been transferred to an expanded and restructured Environment Ministry. The move represents the creation of a new command center for climate action, an institutional reform that no previous government has attempted.

The timing and intent are clear. The reorganization aligns with the government’s national goals of carbon neutrality and accelerated energy transition. Fragmented systems have long been seen as a major obstacle to Korea’s ability to manage climate policy effectively, from emissions reduction to disaster adaptation. The new ministry is expected to serve as a centralized command structure, integrating climate response, carbon neutrality and energy transition into a coherent national strategy.

The government’s reorganization plan to transfer core energy policy functions to the newly established Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment was approved at a Cabinet meeting on Sept. 30. Workers install the ministry’s nameplate on the exterior of the Government Complex Sejong building the same day. [YONHAP]

To be effective, the ministry must link the two pillars of climate policy — mitigation, which addresses the causes of climate change, and adaptation, which minimizes its impacts — while also connecting them to broader goals like energy transition and the circular economy. The challenge is to create a Korean-style climate response model that balances environmental, industrial and social priorities.

Yet the speed of Korea’s energy transition has lagged behind global standards. The European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, set to take effect next year, and the rise of mandatory climate disclosures signal a rapidly changing trade environment. By 2030, global commerce is expected to operate under a fully decarbonized regulatory framework.

Many small- and medium-sized companies already face new requirements in overseas tenders, such as commitments to 100 percent renewable energy under the RE100 initiative and full life-cycle environmental assessments of their products. Many admit they are not ready. If Korea’s transition remains slow, the country’s industrial competitiveness could erode. The new ministry’s creation, therefore, must ensure consistent and swift implementation of energy policy.

Still, concerns persist. Energy and economic policies are designed to drive growth, while environmental policies serve as brakes for safety and sustainability. Bringing both under one roof risks blurring policy signals. If the ministry leans too heavily on regulation, it could weaken the growth function of energy policy. Separating nuclear operation and export oversight might also lead to confusion in the market.

For the new ministry to succeed, it must amplify its advantages while minimizing such risks. Over the next five years, its performance will be measured by how it addresses three overarching challenges.

First, the climate crisis is a human safety issue. Heatwaves, floods and wildfires are claiming lives each year. Korea needs a robust climate safety infrastructure, built on reliable data, to shift from post-disaster recovery to proactive prevention. This includes better drainage and river management, early wildfire detection and an upgraded warning system to protect communities.

Second, the climate crisis is an economic challenge. Korea must achieve “decoupling” — reducing greenhouse gas emissions while sustaining economic growth — within the next five years. Carbon neutrality and energy transition should not be seen merely as environmental obligations but as drivers of new economic growth. The jobs and industries generated in this process could offset concerns about slowing expansion.

Kim Sung-hwan, minister of the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment, delivers a speech during the ministry’s inauguration ceremony at the Government Complex Sejong on Oct. 1. [YONHAP]

Third, the climate crisis is a collective challenge. The transition must be participatory, with communication and cooperation among government, industry and the public. Public engagement should be institutionalized to prevent social conflict, while education and work force training must prepare professionals for emerging green sectors. A road map for a “just transition” that protects vulnerable groups is essential. Beyond the polarized debate over nuclear power, the government must focus on minimizing the overall cost of achieving carbon neutrality. That pragmatic approach will earn public trust.

No institution is perfect, and the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment will face many tests. But what is clear is that Korea can no longer delay its response to the climate crisis. By 2030, the ministry must stand as a credible command center for national climate policy and a model for integrated governance. The path may be uncharted, but it is not a threat — it is an opportunity. The task of paving and refining that path begins now, with all of us.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.