[Journalism Internship] Climate Change Is Rushing Korea’s Spring

Seoul experienced its first mid-April snowfall since 1907, as the cherry blossoms bloomed unusually early this year, creating a mystical collision of winter and spring in the capital of Korea.  

In late March, cherry blossoms flowered from the trees, filling the air with a sweet and wonderful scent. As people walk the streets filled with flowers, enjoying their festivals and scenic views, many may wonder: Why did they bloom so early this year? Why are the cherry blossoms already here, not even in the middle of spring, but as winter is fading?  

Despite the early blooming, Seoul experienced its first mid-April snow since 1907 on April 12, 2025, an anomalous spring event. The unexpected snow in the middle of the early cherry blossom season indicates the strange shift in weather patterns. However, this might just be one of many signs concerning climate change.  

The weather in Korea has become especially irregular this year compared to past years, not only through statistical data but in our daily lives.  

During spring, Korea hosts several cherry blossom festivals, one of the most well-known being the Seokchon Lake festival. In previous years, this festival was held in the first or second week of April. The Seokchon Lake festival this year took place around the end of March through the beginning of April.  

The main reason for the early bloom period is attributed to  a rapid rise in temperature due to climate change, as reported byTopstarnews. In fact, Jeju Island was expected to be the first area to see cherry blossoms around March 21, followed by Busan on March 23 and Daegu on March 24. This earlier start of blooming which happens mostly around the end of March instead of April, suggests that the cherry blossom season has sped up significantly.  

There have been multiple wildfire occurrences in Korea, which led  to countless injuries and, tragically,  deaths. As of this year, 244 wildfires have been reported, which is 2.4 times higher than last year, according to CNN World. Many Korean citizens have also received numerous alerts about extreme wind conditions, which were a main factor in spreading the flames further and worsening the situation.  

The destructive impact of the strong winds was evident, as they have significantly exacerbated the wildfires, leading to a greater loss of people as well as the land. The inferno in south-eastern Korea has burned through 35,810 hectares (88,500 acres), roughly half the size of New York City, claiming 27 deaths, according to the BBC. This incident once again revealed the severity of the climate crisis, as the temperature rose above 20 °C (68°F), which is a high figure for spring, following the analysis by Climate Central.  

The unexpected arrival of spring resulting from the overall temperature rise leads to a likelihood for extreme heat this summer. Ultimately, the early spring season means an earlier and possibly longer summer. The expected rising heat and humidity this summer have raised numerous concerns.  

Recently, the summer weather in Korea has noticeably gotten hotter and humid compared to last year, following the data that average daily high temperature increased from 25°C to 27°C according to WeatherSpark. The resource added that the average temperatures have increased in all seasons, especially during spring and winter. This year, the expected daytime maximum temperature in Korea has been predicted as 28°C, and is expected to be high in heat and humidity based on long-term weather averages. 28°C is even higher than the expected average temperature, indicating that not only will the average heat increase, but it will also result in higher humidity and extreme heat during this year’s summer.  

The real question becomes: What is really behind Korea’s changing climate?

The hidden factor of this urgent situation is driven by human activities involved with the extreme release of greenhouse gases and burning fossil fuels. These gas emissions significantly affect the atmosphere negatively by trapping heat, resulting in frequent heat waves, uncommon seasonal patterns and continuous extreme weather events.  

This pattern is evident in Korea through the combination of early spring season, uncommon snowfall, multiple wildfires, and the possibility of an extended, extreme summer. The severe environment suggests the urgent need for government action and environmental policies.  

Despite its relatively small geographic size, Korea is one of the leading emitters of greenhouse gas. It is clearly shown through American Progress, where they claim that Korea remains the “world’s 13th-largest greenhouse gas (GHG) emitter.” The extreme usage of greenhouse gases encourages a necessity for any environmental action, but is the nation taking steps to address this?  

Back in 2009, Korea had targeted to reduce its amount of greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent from its business-as-usual (BAU) level by 2020. Yet, they failed to do so, causing them to trail behind other countries in terms of sustainability advancement, and ranking the nation as ‘highly insufficient’ by Climate Action Tracker as of June 2023. With a new climate goal set in 2021, Korea plans to rebound by reducing 37 percent of its BAU levels by 2030, as stated by Korea’s Ministry of Environment.

While these efforts seem significant, it is causing them to fall short of the Paris Agreement they signed back in 2015, where most countries committed to limit global temperature rise to below 2°C (35.6°F), ideally 1.5°C (34.7°F), as stated by the United Nations. Despite the recent initiatives seeming to be promising, there is still a possibility that they may not be achieved in time.

Korea’s leading energy source is fossil fuels, which make up about 60 percent of its electricity supply. To reduce this, the country takes a shift towards nuclear power, which is a popular source of clean electricity in other nations as well. Making up 30 percent of the nation’s electricity source, nuclear power contributes to a significant progression. Despite the potential risks of radioactive waste and harm to humans, well-built nuclear plants, through the installation of tough barriers and proper waste disposal, could be a strong way to address these risks.  

Regarding the climate policies, the rival political parties in Korea contain different approaches and perspectives. For instance, the People Power Party (PPP) “seeks a balanced development between nuclear and renewable energy sources and plans to set up a special act on supporting regions that decommission coal power plants,” as said by KoreaTimes. On the other hand, the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) “placed RE100, a global initiative that pledges to convert 100 percent of the electricity used by a company into renewable energy, at the top of its agenda, to drive an expansion in the country’s use of renewable energy.”  

Both parties promised the fulfillment of ambitious goals that could be met via greater investment in renewable energy. Technologies such as wind turbines, solar panels, and hydropower would aid Korea’s transition, along with nuclear energy. Stronger policy enforcement should be implemented to make meeting their 2030 goals a guarantee.  

Countries similar to Korea, such as Japan, Singapore, and China, seem to have a comparable approach in terms of progressing towards climate change. For instance, Singapore and China are both ranked ‘highly insufficient’ by Climate Action Tracker, just like Korea. Japan is ranked ‘insufficient,’ indicating their somewhat better performance. These statistics clearly show that other countries are struggling to fulfill their goals too, which reflects on how not only Korea but the entire world is facing similar challenges. The global challenges associated with climate change suggest the urgent need to address global struggles and take collective action. 

BY PARK JAE-IN, CHLOE JO, PARK JEE-IN [[email protected], [email protected], [email protected]]