Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party of Korea presidential candidate, promised on the 29th, "I will establish the Ministry of Climate and Energy to lay the groundwork for carbon neutrality."
The candidate noted through Facebook that morning, "We need an integrated control tower to realistically solve the climate crisis and address social and economic issues together."
He said, "The climate crisis is not just an issue of rising temperatures on Earth. It is a crisis for the survival of humanity, as well as a crisis for the economy, jobs, and human rights," adding, "To solve this complex crisis, policies must be comprehensive and integrated, yet we are still responding sporadically to various issues such as climate, energy, and human rights."
The Ministry of Climate and Energy is set to encompass the energy-related tasks of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the climate-related tasks of the Ministry of Environment, with the aim of comprehensively establishing and implementing policies to respond to the climate crisis.
The candidate also stated, "I will realize the Presidential Committee on Carbon Neutrality and Green Growth 2050 as a public participation body for 'just transition,' and will foster carbon-neutral industries as a new growth engine. I will create a sustainable Republic of Korea."