South Korea

한국형 녹색 전환(K-GX) 예고...기업 지원 방안 베일 벗는다[2026 ESG 키워드③]

Hankyung | Local Language | News | Dec. 5, 2025 | UndeterminedInitiative

South Korea has finalized its ambitious 2035 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 53–61% from 2018 levels, surpassing the previously considered 40% reduction by 2030. Alongside this, the government released the fourth emissions trading scheme plan for 2026-2030, setting total allowable emissions at 2.54 billion tons and incorporating a market stabilization reserve. The scheme will increase the proportion of paid allocation for the power sector from 15% in 2025 to 50% in 2030, with a 15% expansion in non-power sectors such as industry, while emphasizing continued support for green industry transition.

South Korea’s green transition strategy is inspired by international models, especially Japan’s Green Transformation (GX) Promotion Law, which provides upfront funding to businesses via government bonds and tax incentives to accelerate investment in clean technologies. Japan’s approach focuses on a "growth-oriented carbon pricing" system, encouraging early investment and delaying regulatory measures. From 2023, Japan began issuing GX economic transition bonds worth 20 trillion yen (~180 trillion won) over ten years to fund innovative technologies like hydrogen and carbon capture, with future carbon levies and emissions trading scheme expansions planned to cover these costs.

Japan's GX strategy targets a 46% reduction in greenhouse gases by 2030 compared to 2013 and aims for carbon neutrality by 2050. Key initiatives span several industries including automotive, renewable energy, power plants, steel, chemicals, and green data centers. Efforts include adopting electric vehicles, developing perovskite solar cells, offshore wind technology, transitioning to hydrogen-based processes, and carbon capture improvements.

South Korea plans to unveil its "K-Green Transition Promotion Strategy" in early 2026, following the 2035 NDC. A cross-government task force led by the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment will coordinate sector-specific initiatives while reinvesting revenues from increased paid allocation in the power sector into company decarbonization programs. The plan includes expanding renewable energy by 100 GW by 2030, promoting perovskite solar cell commercialization, decentralizing the power grid, developing energy storage systems and ultra-high-voltage direct current technologies, deploying hydrogen-based steelmaking, heat pumps, and carbon capture, utilization and storage technologies.

The strategy will also explore sector-specific funds, tax incentives, and transition finance institutionalization to attract private investment, emphasizing that government efforts alone are insufficient for scaling the green transformation. Careful policy design is deemed critical to encourage substantial private-sector contributions alongside public funding.

Joongang Ilbo | English | News | Dec. 5, 2025 | North Korea

South Korea's deputy foreign minister, Chung Eui-hae, called on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) to support Seoul's efforts to resume dialogue with North Korea. This appeal was made during a luncheon with ambassadors from 11 Asean member states, including Singapore, Thailand, and the Philippines.

Chung expressed gratitude for Asean's backing of President Lee Jae Myung's "END" initiative, which stands for exchange, normalization, and denuclearization. The initiative aims to end hostility and promote peace with North Korea and was highlighted by Lee during his United Nations General Assembly address in September 2025.

Additionally, Chung emphasized South Korea's intention to strengthen its comprehensive strategic partnership with Asean by increasing people-to-people exchanges and enhancing cooperation in trade and security.

한국인터넷진흥원-카카오, 중소사업자 대상 개인정보 침해사고 예방 교육 실시

KISA | Local Language | AcademicThink | Dec. 5, 2025 | Privacy

On December 4, 2025, the Korea Internet & Security Agency (KISA) announced an online training program in partnership with Kakao to enhance personal information protection capabilities among domestic small and micro businesses. Since 2022, KISA has provided similar training to Kakao Business partners and small enterprises, focusing on safe handling of customer data and compliance with relevant privacy laws and regulations.

The training uses practical case studies to help small businesses reduce the risk of personal information leaks during data processing activities. Topics include major breach cases, precautions at various processing stages within Kakao business operations, and response strategies for personal information leakage incidents. A real-time Q&A session allows participants to ask and receive answers on personal data processing concerns.

The program is open to small businesses and anyone interested in personal information protection, with applications accepted via the Kakao Business seminar website until 3:00 p.m. on December 4, 2025. KISA emphasized that the training aims to foster awareness and practical application of privacy protection among small businesses, and it plans to expand such practical training initiatives to help these businesses independently enhance their data protection systems.