Tag: Environment Ministry

Environment Ministry

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Climate Minister Kim Sung-whan announces a plan to build five new dams across the country during a briefing held at the central government complex in Seoul on Aug. 27. 2026~

Gov't greenlights five new dams for tech cluster, flood control

South Korea will build five dams to supply water to technology clusters and bolster flood control, while environmental groups continue to oppose the plan.

2026.8.27

Gov’t expands noisy neighbor mediation to some non-apartment housing

The Ministry of Environment is expanding its mediation service for neighbors regarding inter-floor noise beyond apartments to include non-apartment housing such as villas, officetels and multifamily homes in the Seoul metropolitan area.

2025.4.16

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The nominees for three ministerial posts, including Kim Wan-sup, the nominee for environment minister, far left, Lee Jin-sook, the nominee for the chairman of the Korea Communications Commission, and Kim Byoung-hwan, the nominee for the chairman of the Financial Services Commission, attend a press briefing at the presidential office in Seoul on Thursday. [YONHAP]

New financial and broadcasting watchdog heads, environment minister named in Cabinet reshuffle

President Yoon Suk Yeol nominated a new chief financial regulator and two other ministerial posts for environment and broadcasting in a partial Cabinet reshuffle Thursday.

2024.7.4

A customer returns a reusable cup at a cafe on Jeju Island. [CHOI CHOONG-IL]

Jeju cafes stop use of reusable cups after provider withdraws

According to the Jeju provincial government, 50 coffee shops on Jeju Island, including 30 Starbucks stores, will stop providing reusable cups. These cups have been available on the island since July 2021 to help the environment.

2024.6.4

Nineteen-year-old lion Baram, right, is introduced into the same enclosure as 12-year-old lioness Dodo at Cheongju Zoo in North Chungcheong on Oct. 23. [CHEONGJU ZOO]

Korea's raccoon cafes to soon be a thing of the past as gov't cranks up regulations

Cafes featuring wild animals such as raccoons are set to become a thing of the past after the Cabinet approved new regulations mandating that businesses obtain zoo permits to rear and exhibit wildlife.

2023.12.5

Paper cups are stacked at a restaurant in downtown Seoul on Tuesday. The Environment Ministry announced that it would scrap its ban on the use of paper cups in restaurants and cafes and tentatively postpone its plans to regulate the use of plastic straws and stir sticks.[NEWS1]

Government scraps plan to ban paper cups

Korea's Ministry of Environment has scrapped plans to ban the use of paper cups following complaints from merchants and consumers. The government will instead recommend that businesses utilize multiuse cups.

2023.11.7

Resource Circulation Day

Heaps of recyclable plastics are piled up at a Resource Circulation Center in Suwon, Gyeonggi, on Wednesday. Wednesday marks Resource Circulation Day, which was first designated as a special day by the Environment Ministry in 2009.

2023.9.6

A county in Dageu is flooded on August 10 after levees near the area broke due to Typhoon Khanun. [YONHAP]

Ministry to spend more money to build dams, dredge rivers

The Ministry of Environment announced Tuesday it will dredge more bodies of water and build more dams with increased budget outlays for next year.

2023.8.29

President Yoon Suk Yeol on Tuesday presides over a Cabinet meeting at the presidential office in Yongsan, central Seoul. [NEWS1]

Yoon rebukes environment minister for water management failures

President Yoon Suk Yeol rebuked Environment Minister Han Wha-jin over the ministry's poor water management, blamed for deaths and property damage from recent heavy rains.

2023.7.19

Water from the Miho River in Osong-eup, Cheongju in North Chuncheong flows into a nearby underpass as heavy rain pounded the area last Saturday. At least 14 people were killed as of Monday after being trapped in the flooded underpass. [YONHAP]

Ministry and local governments play blame game after tragedy

The Environment Ministry and local governments are blaming each other for causing the recent flooding of an underpass in North Chungcheong that killed at least 14 people.

2023.7.18