Woo Tae-hee, chairperson of the Corporations Renewable Energy Foundation and CEO of Hyosung Heavy Industries, said, "The benefits of the transition to renewable energy can sustainably expand to society as a whole, rather than being limited to certain corporations or specific regions."
On the 26th, during the opening ceremony of the "2025 Asia-Pacific (APAC) Renewable Energy Matching Forum" held at Bexco in Busan, Woo noted, "The transition to renewable energy cannot be completed by speed alone. The value of inclusivity must harmonize with speed."
The APAC Renewable Energy Matching Forum is a platform to discuss the roles of government and corporations in the process of transitioning to renewable energy to achieve carbon neutrality (net-zero). The aim is to connect the renewable energy supply and demand of major corporations at home and abroad, stimulate the market, and seek new business opportunities.
Woo emphasized, "Korea is at a time when it must accelerate the transition to renewable energy," adding, "Last year, Korea's renewable energy generation ratio was 10.6%, which is below the global average of about 30%. The government has set a goal to increase this to 20% by 2030 and over 30% by 2038."
Woo added that efforts must be made to build core infrastructure to support the speed of the renewable energy transition, including a high-voltage direct current (HVDC) energy highway on the west coast and special laws for the establishment of RE100 (100% renewable energy) national industrial complexes, while discussions for balanced development should also take place.
Lee Kyung-soo, a director at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy's Energy Policy Division, said, "For achieving carbon neutrality, which has become a megatrend that cannot be resisted any longer, the transition to renewable energy is essential," noting that "it is significant for globally influential supply and demand corporations to come together to discuss accessibility to renewable energy."
He added that "the government plans to focus on building renewable energy-centric infrastructure, improving legal systems, and fostering new industries that are essential for achieving carbon neutrality," stating, "We will actively support corporations to utilize renewable energy more efficiently."