PM pledges S. Korea will take lead in climate crisis response

Prime Minister Han Seong-sook of Korea declared on Wednesday that her country will take a leading role in addressing the climate crisis during her opening remarks at the Global Cooperation Conference on Climate Crisis Response. She emphasized that the current summer, described as the hottest on record, will be the coolest summer experienced in the future, underscoring that climate change is an immediate threat to humanity.

Han highlighted Korea's proactive stance against climate change by detailing initiatives such as the Korea Green Transformation (K-GX) strategy, which aims to achieve sustainable growth while mitigating the impacts of climate change. Additionally, Korea has been actively working to assist industries in transitioning away from carbon emissions.

Reflecting on the progress made since the signing of the Paris Agreement in 2015, which set a goal to limit global warming below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, Han stressed the need for concrete outcomes. She called for the conference attendees to produce tangible results, emphasizing that the time for action is now.