S. Korea to Invest 3.4 Trillion Won to Respond to Climate Change

The government will invest more than three-point-four trillion won, or roughly two-point-three billion U.S. dollars, this year on technological developments in three strategic areas to combat climate change.

The amount is up 14-point-one percent from a year earlier.

The Ministry of Science and ICT announced the investment Thursday as part of its 2026 climate change response technology development implementation plan.

Under the plan, the government will aim to cut greenhouse gas emissions by expanding investment in carbon-free energy technology and broadening demonstration projects at industrial sites.

Five billion won will go to next-generation solar cells, two-point-one billion won will be used for the design of an innovative fusion reactor, and nearly 15-point-seven billion won has been set aside to localize small modular reactor technology and manufacturing.

Four-point-five billion won will be newly invested in developing clean hydrogen and 42-point-four billion won in large-scale carbon dioxide capture and utilization demonstration projects.

Among the funding areas for climate change adaptation, about five-point-one billion won will be used to upgrade disaster response technologies and artificial intelligence-based climate prediction technology, while seven-point-three billion won will go to developing a national climate prediction system to respond to the climate crisis.