Motie: MOTIE attends ASEAN energy meetings

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE)’s Energy Policy Director-General Lee Won-ju attended the 16th East Asia Summit (EAS) and 19th ASEAN+3 Energy Ministers’ Meeting on September 16 to discuss energy security reinforcement and clean energy expansion with counterparts from ASEAN and Northeast Asia.

At the EAS, Director-General Lee emphasized the urgency of global energy market stabilization and energy security reinforcement, and expressed agreement to the need for clean energy expansion for sustainable decarbonization, outlining Korea’s energy policy directions under its new regime.

The Director-General further relayed that nuclear energy will be utilized as a major means of fortifying energy security and achieving carbon neutral, while renewables, hydrogen and clean energy technology development will continue in consideration of domestic energy demand and circumstances.

Since 2018, South Korea has been pushing technological advances and cooperation measures for renewable energy expansion in the ASEAN region as co-chair with Brunei for Renewable and Alternative Power Generation (RAPG).

Referring to these efforts, Director-General Lee stated that Korea plans to continue cooperating with ASEAN member states for enhancement of clean energy development, data exchange, project investigation and sourcing, as well as provision of assistance for Korean companies’ local market penetration.

At the ASEAN+3 meeting, the Director-General mentioned Korea’s contributions to the decarbonization and energy infrastructure safety advancement in the ASEAN region through its greenhouse gas reduction projects and energy safety management.

Since 2009, South Korea has been collaborating on greenhouse gas reduction policies and sharing experience related to energy efficiency and renewable energy with ASEAN members. Since 2021, Korea has also partnered with ASEAN to reduce greenhouse gas emissions via efforts to raise efficiency of industrial and transport energy.

Future plans include sharing of electricity safety standards and consultation personnel training for the improvement of energy infrastructure safety management across the ASEAN region.

Attendees of the ASEAN+3 meeting agreed on the importance of energy supply chain resilience, energy market stabilization and energy security, and concurred with the scheme to expand decarbonization and clean energy through mutual understanding and data exchange.