President Lee Jae Myung called for a rapid shift to renewable energy on Monday. He said Jeju Island can deliver the fastest real-world results. South Korea faces a worsening energy crunch from the Middle East war. This energy transition push came during his final regional town hall at Halla University. The event closed a flagship series aimed at advancing balanced national development.
“The Republic of Korea as a whole must move very quickly toward renewable energy,” Lee said. “Our future will be at serious risk if we continue to rely on fossil fuels.” The president acknowledged the severity of the current crisis. He said the situation has kept him up at night. “The immediate problem is grave enough, but the outlook ahead seems even more unstable. The situation is worse than expected.”
South Korea is making all-out efforts to mitigate energy supply disruptions. The government eased seasonal curbs on coal-fired power generation. Those curbs typically run from December through March to reduce fine dust pollution. Lee emphasized that this energy transition must accelerate despite these temporary measures.
“We need to transition to renewable energy,” Lee said. “I believe Jeju is the place where we can deliver tangible results the fastest.” He pointed to the island’s strong wind resources. Climate, Energy and Environment Minister Kim Sung-whan then laid out a blueprint for carbon-neutral energy transition. He positioned Jeju as a test bed for South Korea’s broader shift away from fossil fuels.
Kim underscored that the transition to carbon-neutral energy has become an urgent challenge. The ongoing war in the Middle East makes it even more pressing. “Europe overcomes current energy challenges by freely trading electricity across countries,” Kim said. “But for us, given various geopolitical constraints, it is not easy to do so. That is why we must succeed in achieving carbon neutrality on this island-like system. For that, the success of Jeju is critically important.” Kim stressed that Jeju should aim to demonstrate 24-hour RE100 within Lee’s term.
The ministry’s plan centers on sharply expanding renewables. It also aims to accelerate the shift to electric vehicles. Other components include scaling up battery storage and electrifying heating. The plan also includes building a green hydrogen ecosystem and deploying AI-based power management systems.
Culture Minister Choi Hwi-young presented tourism development strategies. Deputy Prime Minister and Science and ICT Minister Bae Kyung-hoon unveiled a blueprint to position Jeju as a global talent hub.
Lee marked his 300th day in office on Jeju Island. Two defining themes of his presidency converged there. One was his push for balanced regional development. The other was his vow to confront the legacy of state violence. The Jeju event concluded his nationwide tour. The tour has taken him to Gwangju, Daejeon, Busan, Daegu, and Ulsan since he took office.
During the town hall, Lee reaffirmed his pledge to ensure lasting accountability for state crimes of violence. He cited cases such as the Jeju massacre. He called for abolishing both criminal and civil statutes of limitations for such crimes. “Like Nazi war criminals, they will be held accountable to the very end of their lives,” Lee said. “We will pursue them relentlessly—track them down, investigate them, and ensure they are punished. A sense of fear—fear of history, the people, and the state—needs to be instilled in public officials.”
A day earlier, Lee visited the Jeju 4·3 Peace Park. He went ahead of the 78th anniversary of the Jeju April 3 Uprising. He lunched with bereaved families of the victims. Moreover, he reiterated his determination to completely abolish criminal statutes of limitations for state crimes.
In conclusion, President Lee called for a rapid energy transition with Jeju as the test bed. The administration plans to achieve 24-hour RE100 on Jeju within Lee’s term. Ministers presented blueprints for carbon neutrality, tourism development, and positioning Jeju as a global talent hub. Lee also marked his 300th day in office. He reaffirmed his commitment to accountability for state crimes of violence. This includes abolishing statutes of limitations for such cases. The energy transition push comes as South Korea grapples with supply disruptions from the Middle East war. This makes renewable energy development increasingly urgent.
