Seoul pledges to cut carbon emission by 30 percent from 2020 level

(ATTN: UPDATES with additional remarks, details throughout, minor edits)
By Byun Duk-kun
SEOUL, Nov. 17 (Yonhap) -- South Korea has decided on a 30-percent reduction of
greenhouse gas emissions from levels predicted for 2020, Seoul's presidential
office said Tuesday, setting one of the most aggressive voluntary goals to roll
back climate change.
The decision was approved at a weekly Cabinet meeting chaired by President Lee
Myung-bak.
The goal is to cut the country's greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent from its
forecast, or business as usual (BAU), level in 2020. This would be equivalent to
reducing the country's emission by 4 percent from its 2005 level, according to
the presidential office, Cheong Wa Dae.
Under the existing U.N. convention on climate change, South Korea is not required
to set emission reduction targets.
"Today marks a historic meeting. We must now think hard about ways to bring
greater good to our national interest by reducing greenhouse gas emissions," the
president told the meeting, according to his spokeswoman Kim Eun-hye.
"The move will be a chance to contribute to international efforts to fight global
warming, but also an opportunity to significantly raise the country's status in
the international community," Lee said.
"The announcement of our reduction targets will not only help improve the
country's image, but also the image of Korean products," he was quoted as saying.
A U.N. summit is slated to open next month in Copenhagen to thrash out a new deal
on global warming to replace the Kyoto Protocol which expires in 2012.
Although a breakthrough at the Copenhagen meeting is unlikely, South Korea's move
will set an example for the rest of the world's developing countries to follow,
Lee said.
"South Korea's announcement of its voluntary reduction plan will be a chance to
urge the international community to act responsibly, even though there are doubts
about the Copenhagen meeting slated for the end of the year," he told the
meeting.
The country's business community, however, is protesting the government move over
fears about the costs required in meeting the target.
Knowledge Economy Minister Choi Kyung-hwan said the plan could put significant
strains on businesses, especially when the country is competing against the
world's fast emerging markets.
"At a time when we are fiercely competing against China and others, the target we
set today is not only one of the highest for all developing countries, but also
for any other country," he said at the Cabinet meeting, according to the Cheong
Wa Dae spokeswoman.
"There needs to be discussions on ways to achieve our goals without damaging our
growth potential or business competitiveness," Choi was quoted as saying.
Foreign minister Yu Myung-hwan welcomed the decision as a voluntary move that set
an example for the rest of the international community, according to the
spokeswoman.
"We must do our utmost to see through our plans," he said.
bdk@yna.co.kr
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