South Korea

Korea Herald | English | News | Nov. 7, 2025 | Climate Change

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stated that overshooting the 1.5 degrees Celsius global warming target above pre-industrial levels is now inevitable in the short term. He warned that temperatures will exceed 1.5 C in the coming years, leading to devastating but predictable impacts. However, Guterres noted that if global leaders commit seriously to achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions, limiting warming to 1.5 C by the end of the century remains possible.

Guterres criticized current national carbon reduction pledges, which cover 70 percent of global emissions, as insufficient. These commitments aim to cut emissions by only about 10 percent by 2035, whereas the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has emphasized the need for a 60 percent reduction from 2019 levels by that year to maintain a strong chance of limiting warming to 1.5 C. He stressed the need for countries to submit more ambitious climate plans ahead of the upcoming COP30 summit in Brazil.

Addressing misinformation, Guterres condemned falsehoods and greenwashing, highlighting the importance of scientific truth in combating climate change. In contrast to former U.S. President Donald Trump’s rejection of climate science and critique of renewable energy, Guterres underscored that renewables accounted for almost all new power capacity in 2024 and represent the most effective path to halting climate destruction.

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO), celebrating its 75th anniversary, is pushing for global coverage of extreme weather early warning systems by 2027. Guterres emphasized that every year in the past decade has been the hottest on record, with rising ocean temperatures damaging ecosystems and no country safe from climate-related disasters such as fires, floods, storms, and heatwaves. He called for countries to increase their climate ambitions significantly to meet the 1.5 C target.

Joongang Ilbo | English | News | Nov. 7, 2025 | Critical Infrastructure Failure

The government and the ruling Democratic Party (DP) agreed on November 5, 2025, to increase the disaster recovery budget following a major fire at a state data center in Daejeon on September 26. This fire caused a nationwide outage of the government's online administrative services, prompting the need for additional funding to replace outdated equipment and restore computer systems.

An initial budget of 158.4 billion won (approximately $1.1 million) has been allocated for upgrading old equipment, with relevant ministries currently assessing the total cost required to prevent similar incidents in the future. This amount is expected to rise after further consultations during the National Assembly's budget review.

Additionally, the government and DP agreed to allocate 1.15 trillion won for local currency vouchers to stimulate spending at local businesses, with increased subsidies targeted at regions experiencing population decline and areas outside the greater Seoul metropolitan region.

They also reaffirmed their commitment to passing the Basic Act on Life and Safety, a key legislative initiative by President Lee Jae Myung. This act aims to establish individual rights to safety and clearly outline the responsibilities of the state and corporations in accident prevention and victim protection.

Hankyoreh - E | English | News | Nov. 7, 2025 | Geopolitical Conflict and Disputes

Veteran South Korean diplomat and former foreign minister Song Min-soon argues that the goal of complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula through negotiations is an unrealistic “pipe dream.” He predicts that the peninsula will remain divided into “two very different, separate states” for the foreseeable future and suggests South Korea should temporarily shelve the pursuit of unification and denuclearization.

Song’s perspective is shaped by North Korea’s emergence as a nuclear power in 2017, marking a fundamental shift requiring South Korea to accept nuclear capabilities on the peninsula as a constant. He advocates for a “cold,” passive peace strategy focusing on deterrence, containment, and maintaining stability rather than the previous “warm” approach of exchange leading to denuclearization and reunification.

He warns that South Korea’s security reliance on the US nuclear umbrella is increasingly precarious due to growing American isolationism and unpredictable future commitments. As a solution, Song proposes South Korea pursue nuclear latency, a status where it has the capacity to quickly develop nuclear weapons while complying with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, similar to Japan and Germany.

Song calls for a redefinition of the South Korea-US alliance to one of mutual independence, including South Korea regaining wartime operational control from the US. He emphasizes addressing North Korea as a neighbor with whom coexistence and deterrence are necessary, and viewing unification as a possible, not guaranteed, outcome. His views are expressed in his new book, "Good Fences, Good Neighbors," which seeks to provoke national debate on the future direction of South Korea’s security and unification policies.