KOREA
BEYOND COAL

Yoon government should stop building new coal plants if they are to follow through with coal phase-out promises.

On the 21st of April, Korea Beyond Coal (KBC), Committee Against Samcheok Coal Power Plant Construction, and Gangneung Civic Committee Against Anin Coal Power Plant held a press conference urging the next government to stop the construction of new coal power plants in Gangwon-do. This is because new coal plants must be addressed in order for the next government to start establishing new climate policies.

During the press conference, KBC explained that the new plants in Gangneung and Samcheok are being constantly questioned in terms of residents’ receptivity, environmental concerns, and economic risks. According to a survey of residents in Gangneung and Samcheok, 55% of Gangneung citizens and 60% of Samcheok citizens were against the construction of the new coal plants. The four coal plants are expected to emit greenhouse gases and air pollutants, causing premature deaths as well as aggravating climate crisis. Coal plants in Gangwon have also been under heated dispute due to the coastal erosion caused during the construction.

Moreover, KBC pointed out that building new coal plants directly contradicts the promises of early coal phase-out that Yoon made as a presidential candidate. In fact, stopping the construction is a powerful way to demonstrate the ambition to phase out coal and fight climate crisis. Accordingly, KBC called for the president-elect and the presidential transition commission to stop the construction and to prepare a phase-out road map for 2030 coal phase-out and delivered a letter to the commission.