South Korea - The Korea Times

Public struggles to adjust to recycling clear plastic bottles separately from labels

Collected label-off clear plastic bottles at a recyclable waste collecting site inside a Seoul apartment complex are seen June 26, 2021 / NewsisBy Ko Dong-hwanA new environmental law came into effect Dec. 25, 2021: Enforcing the recycling of clear plastic bottles separately from their labels. This law has been expanded from apartment buildings to now also include single-detached houses. Yet despite the new law which was designed as a way to better recycle a larger amount of clear plastics, it appears that citizens are not faithfully abiding by it.Looking around residential areas surrounded by single-detached houses, it is easy to spot discarded clear plastic bottles mixed with other types of waste. Most of their labels ― mostly made from polypropylene, plastic bottles are made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) ― were still left on the bottles, and some were even hidden inside a trash bag full of non-recyclable waste. At night, when trash bags get picked up by local garbage trucks in certain areas, those hidden clear bottles are hard to spot. In many detached housing areas, househol

Jan 5, 2022By Ko Dong-hwan

Public struggles to adjust to recycling clear plastic bottles separately from labels

Is nuclear energy eco-friendly? EU Taxonomy to test Korea's new definition

One of the reactors inside the Wolsong Nuclear Power Plant in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province / YonhapBy Ko Dong-hwanKorea has come to a fork in the road, as it seeks to decide whether or not to embrace nuclear energy and natural gas as eco-friendly resources to generate power. The challenge ― under pressure from experts and activists ― on whether to accept or ditch them, came to the fore after the European Union's Taxonomy draft text accepted them under certain conditions earlier this month.The environment ministry highlighted in a statement released Jan. 3 that the EU Taxonomy was “just a draft and will go through a scrutinizing process within EU institutions before being finalized.”“The draft will require at least four months of discussions among inside agencies before entering enforcement, so we will closely monitor how these unfold and on what kinds of standards and perspectives their decisions are based,” said Minister of Environment Han Jeoung-ae.The statement came after the ministry released its “K-Taxonomy” ― the Korean version of the

Jan 4, 2022By Ko Dong-hwan

Is nuclear energy eco-friendly? EU Taxonomy to test Korea's new definition

Korea emitted 701.3 million tons of greenhouse gas in 2019: environment ministry

gettyimagesbankSouth Korea emitted a total of 701.3 million tons of greenhouse gas in 2019, the environment ministry said Friday.The 2019 figure, confirmed by the Greenhouse Gas Inventory and Research Center, represents a 3.5 percent drop from the 2018 tally, according to the ministry.The decrease came largely from a reduction in power plant emissions from 268.5 million tons to 248.7 million tons and alternative ozone layer depleting substances from 8.8 million tons to 6.3 million tons.But road transportation and non-metal emissions increased by 2.75 million tons and 1.13 million tons, respectively. By industry, the energy sector accounted for 87.2 percent, or 611.5 million tons, of the total emission. The energy sector's emissions were down by 3.3 percent, or 21 million tons, from 2018 due to restrictions on coal thermal power generations imposed to reduce fine dust air pollution. Industrial plants, and farming and waste sectors took up 7.4 percent, 3 percent and 2.4 percent of the total, respectively.Nearly 380 tons of greenhouse gas were emitted per 1 billion won ($841,000) of gro

Dec 31, 2021

Korea emitted 701.3 million tons of greenhouse gas in 2019: environment ministry

Over 2,000 wild dogs inhabit Jeju: study

Wild dogs are shown near a village on Jeju Island in this provided photo. Courtesy of Jeju Self-Governing Provincial GovernmentBy Bahk Eun-jiAround 2,000 wild dogs are estimated to live in the mountains and hills of Jeju Island, becoming the top predators on the island, a study showed, Tuesday. According to a study conducted by Jeju National University's Wildlife Rescue Center on wild dog habitation of the island from April 1 to the Dec. 15, between 1,626 and 2,168 wild dogs are presumed to live in its mountainous areas, between 300 meters to 600 meters above sea level.The rescue center defined a wild dog in the first instance as “a dog that was once owned by people but was lost or abandoned, and has come to live and breed in the mountains and fields.” The offspring of the animals are also defined as “wild.”The estimated number of wild dogs is based on how many animals have been caught in the hills and mountains in the 300 meter to 600 meter range, and analysis of the environment in the areas connecting Mount Halla and the coastal lowland village areas.The wil

Dec 29, 2021By Bahk Eun-ji

Over 2,000 wild dogs inhabit Jeju: study

Korea's oldest coal-fired plant to shut down

Honam Coal Power Plant / YonhapSouth Korea's oldest coal-powered plant will be shut down for good this week, the energy ministry said Tuesday, in line with the government's plan to shift toward renewable energy and to reduce fine dust.Honam Coal Power Plant, located in Yeosu, 450 kilometers south of Seoul, will stop operations Friday, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. The plant has been in operation since 1973.The closure is part of the Moon Jae-in administration's plan to phase out 10 aging coal power plants and convert part of them into liquefied natural gas (LNG) plants to reduce coal use.The nation's 10 coal-based reactors have now all been retired since 2017 as their operational life cycles expire one by one. A new LNG plant, which generates less fine dust, will be newly built at the Yeosu site, the ministry said. (Yonhap)

Dec 28, 2021

Korea's oldest coal-fired plant to shut down

Electricity demand hits new wintertime high

This Dec. 2 file photo shows people walking in thick winter clothes in Seoul. YonhapSouth Korea's electricity demand set a new wintertime high Monday as the country was gripped by the coldest weather so far this season, the energy ministry said. Peak power demand had reached 90,708 megawatts as of 5 p.m., as lower-than-normal temperatures lead to increased electricity use for heating, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. This season's first cold wave warning was issued in the greater Seoul area and many other parts of the country over the weekend, with temperatures in the wider Seoul plummeting to as low as minus 15.5 C on Sunday, the lowest in 41 years.Monday's lowest temperature in the greater Seoul area was 12.9 C. (Yonhap)

Dec 27, 2021

Electricity demand hits new wintertime high

Season's 1st cold wave warning issued for Seoul, many parts of Korea

Children in thick winter clothes wait to get tested for COVID-19 at a testing center in Songpa District, Seoul, Dec. 17. Korea Times fileThis season's first cold wave warning will be issued in the greater Seoul area and many other parts of the country on Friday night, with temperatures expected to plummet to as low as minus 15 C the following morning, the weather agency said.The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said the cold wave warning will take effect at 9 p.m. in the capital area, most of Gangwon Province and many other central inland regions.The warning is issued when the morning low is expected to fall more than 15 C from the previous day or stay below minus 15 C for more than two consecutive days, or when the temperature drops sharply and major damage is expected.The KMA said it will also issue a cold wave advisory for Daegu, Daejeon, Sejong, Yeosu and many other parts of the central and southern regions.On Saturday, the morning low is forecast to drop to minus 14 C in Seoul, minus 13 C in Chuncheon of Gangwon Province, and minus 10 C in Daejeon.Due to strong winds, S

Dec 24, 2021

Season's 1st cold wave warning issued for Seoul, many parts of Korea

Korea to have 6 months of summer, 3 months of winter later this century: study

Korea to have 6 months of summer, 3 months of winter later this century: study

gettyimagesbankBy Lee Hae-rinThe climate crisis will lengthen Korea's summers to as long as half a year and bring more heat waves while shortening the winter to under three months during the latter 21st century, according to a recent report by the nation's weather agency, Thursday. The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) published the weather scenarios for Korea based on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's report on environmental change in the Korean Peninsula under low- and high-carbon scenarios.According to the report, in a high-carbon scenario, the average temperature of the peninsula will rise by 1.6 to 2.9 degrees Celsius between 2041 and 2060 compared to now, and by 2.3 to 6.3 degrees between 2081 and 2100.The duration of the seasons will change as well. Summer is expected to be longer, reaching up to six months in the late 21st century, from the current average of 97 days. In contrast, winter could be shortened from 107 days to less than three months.Rainfall is also expected to increase as the atmosphere becomes warmer and more humid. Precipitation may incre

Dec 23, 2021By Lee Hae-rin

Korea to have 6 months of summer, 3 months of winter later this century: study

Season's 1st cold wave warning issued for Seoul, many parts of Korea

Heavy snowfall in Seoul; weather advisory issued for greater capital area

Four women pose for a group photo as snow falls on Hongdae street in western Seoul, Dec. 18. YonhapSouth Korea's weather agency issued a heavy snowfall advisory for the greater Seoul area for the first time this winter, Saturday.The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) put the advisory into effect for Seoul, some of the western parts of the greater capital area, and the western port city of Incheon at 3 p.m.Snow that began to fall at around 1 p.m. is expected to gradually move east to affect the capital region from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., and inland areas of Gangwon Province between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m.Seoul, its surrounding areas, Gangwon Province and mountainous regions on Jeju Island could see snow of up to 8 centimeters, while northern areas of Gyeonggi Province and Ulleung Island could experience up to 5cm, according to the KMA.The agency added that the country is likely to experience more snowfall Sunday and called on people to listen to updated weather forecasts.At the same time, the entire country came under the grip of the season's coldest weather, pushing down Seoul's daily tem

Dec 18, 2021

Heavy snowfall in Seoul; weather advisory issued for greater capital area

Fine dust blankets Seoul

The sky over central Seoul is clouded with fine dust, Thursday, when ultrafine dust concentration levels reached “bad” in most parts of the country. While the dust is expected to clear up in most regions by Friday, a cold wave is forecast to grip the nation, with Seoul's morning lows hitting minus 5 degrees Celsius. The cold spell will continue through Sunday. Yonhap

Dec 16, 2021By Lee Hyo-jin

Environment & Animals