[The Editors' Verdict] Who Will Safeguard Energy Security?

With the inauguration of President Lee Jaemyung, the establishment of the Ministry of Climate and Energy is gradually coming into focus. Kim Sungwhan, the nominee for Minister of Environment and former Policy Committee Chair of the Democratic Party of Korea, added weight to the creation of the new ministry by stating immediately after his nomination, "It is time to transform the entire energy system based on renewable energy and usher in a new civilization." Subsequently, the National Policy Planning Committee, which serves as the government transition team, is pushing forward with a reorganization of government ministries that includes this initiative.

The Ministry of Climate and Energy will integrate climate and energy-related functions currently divided among the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, and will be responsible for driving policies centered on renewable energy. Specific approaches under consideration include merging the Energy Office of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy with the Ministry of Environment, or combining the Climate and Carbon Policy Office of the Ministry of Environment with the Energy Office of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

President Lee Jaemyung expressed a strong commitment to establishing the Ministry of Climate and Energy during his presidential campaign. According to his campaign pledges, he outlined the major theme of "actively responding to carbon neutrality and energy transition through the establishment of the Ministry of Climate and Energy," along with concrete plans such as "building a climate energy policy control tower linking climate crisis response, including greenhouse gas reduction, with energy policy," and "achieving RE100 (100% renewable energy) through a major transition to eco-friendly renewable energy." He also included as key pledges national-level support for offshore wind power and the construction of a U-shaped Korean Peninsula Energy Highway to build a renewable energy-centered energy superhighway.

Given the rapidly changing climate environment, such as the early heatwave in June, it is clear that expanding renewable energy is an unavoidable task. Sustainable energy sources are a gift we can pass on to future generations.

However, should energy be viewed solely from the perspective of climate change? Globally, energy is now an issue that must be addressed not only in terms of climate but also national security. When Russia began its war with Ukraine in 2022 and controlled the gas pipelines to Europe, "energy security" became a key issue not only in the global economy but also in politics. More recently, Iran, after being attacked by Israel and the United States, decided to blockade the Strait of Hormuz, heightening fears of a major energy supply crisis. South Korea is even more sensitive to these issues. The main routes for importing gas and crude oil from the Middle East include not only the Strait of Hormuz but also the Strait of Malacca and the Taiwan Strait. All of these are considered powder kegs, with a high likelihood of conflict breaking out at any time.

Despite these concerns, "energy security" is nowhere to be found in the current government's pledges or in the broader blueprint drawn by the National Policy Planning Committee. There are no voices calling for energy to be addressed from a security perspective.

This diverges from global trends. In major countries, energy policy is increasingly tied to security. The UK government, for example, changed the Department of Energy and Climate Change, established in 2008, to the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy in 2016, and then reorganized it again in 2023 into the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero. This reflects a commitment to address not only "net zero" carbon neutrality but also security. The first mission of the United States Department of Energy is also "Security & Safety."

Kim Jungkwan, nominee for Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy, stated in his first remarks, "In the era of artificial intelligence (AI), energy is the heart." He emphasized energy as the core of industrial competitiveness. What is the point of saving the climate if national security collapses? The Ministry of Climate and Energy needs to consider not only renewable energy but all energy sources. The concept of security must be incorporated into the government's organizational blueprint.