[Exclusive] Environment Minister Nominee Kim Sung Hwan to Establish Climate Functions at Regional Environmental Offices

Blueprint for Strengthening Regional Carbon Neutrality Systems

Kim Sung Hwan, the nominee for Minister of Environment, is promoting a plan to establish new climate-related functions within all regional environmental offices nationwide. This initiative reflects an intention to more closely link climate governance between the central government and local governments, especially as the roles of local governments have expanded following the 2023 revision of the Framework Act on Carbon Neutrality.

According to Kim's written responses to the National Assembly hearing, obtained by Asia Economy on July 11, Kim stated, "If appointed as Minister of Environment, I will establish climate-related functions at all regional environmental offices to ensure that the regional carbon neutrality implementation system can be established early." To this end, he plans to operate regular communication channels between local environmental offices and local governments so that on-the-ground feedback can be reflected in policy.

Currently, there are seven regional environmental offices under the Ministry of Environment: the Han River Basin Environmental Office, the Nakdong River Basin Environmental Office, the Geum River Basin Environmental Office, the Yeongsan River Basin Environmental Office, the Wonju Regional Environmental Office, the Daegu Regional Environmental Office, and the Jeonbuk Regional Environmental Office. Separately, the Capital Region Air Quality Management Office is responsible for air quality management. These regional offices have been responsible for comprehensive environmental administration, including water management, air quality, and chemical substance management. Climate-related functions have, in practice, been handled primarily by the Climate and Carbon Policy Office at the ministry's headquarters.

The background to Kim's plan to establish climate functions at the regional offices lies in the growing need to promote carbon neutrality policies at the local level to facilitate the transition to a decarbonized society. A senior official at the Ministry of Environment stated, "Currently, there is no organization at the regional environmental offices that executes climate-related work as a primary function," and added, "Given the increasing emphasis on the climate crisis, I understand that the ministry is considering granting related functions to the regional offices as well."

SungHwan Kim, Policy Committee Chair of the Democratic Party of Korea. Photo by DongJoo Yoon doso7@

If Kim's plan is implemented, the climate-related functions to be performed by each regional environmental office are expected to include: providing advice and consulting for local carbon neutrality master plans; supporting greenhouse gas reduction and emissions trading; and assisting in the establishment of climate adaptation measures. A senior official at a regional environmental office said, "As it will be essential to coordinate with local governments when working on provincial carbon neutrality master plans or provincial climate adaptation plans, adding climate functions to the regional offices will create significant synergy. The regional offices will be able to play a practical supporting role."

If climate-related functions are established within the regional environmental offices, there is a high likelihood they will be linked with existing internal departments such as the Air Quality Management Division and the Resource Circulation Division. These departments are primarily responsible for hands-on tasks like fine dust reduction and operation of air monitoring networks, so it is expected that climate-related functions can be organically integrated. However, depending on circumstances, there is also a possibility that a separate organizational unit dedicated to climate functions could be newly established within each regional office. This is because, in order to effectively carry out planning tasks such as local carbon reduction, it is necessary to clearly define the implementing organization. Nevertheless, securing additional budget and personnel for the creation of new organizational units could become another challenge.

Meanwhile, Kim has identified the revision of the 2035 NDC (Nationally Determined Contribution) as the top priority for the first 100 days if appointed as minister. Kim stated, "We will set a 2035 NDC target that is more ambitious than the 40% reduction target for the 2030 NDC and submit it to the United Nations this year." He also announced plans to meet with victims of the humidifier disinfectant incident, saying, "I will make efforts to meet with the victims as soon as possible and work toward solutions in the direction they hope for." Regarding last year's Constitutional Court ruling of unconstitutionality following the push to revise the Framework Act on Carbon Neutrality, he said, "It is necessary to revise the Act to include interim targets," and indicated that a legal review is planned. Concerning the possible establishment of a new Ministry of Climate and Energy, he refrained from giving a definite answer, stating, "It is necessary to review and discuss this matter with the Presidential Office and the National Planning Committee, among others."