CHAPTER 8
Between the Rhetoric and the Reality:
Renewable Energy Promotion vs. Adoption
in South Korea
So Young Kim and Inkyoung Sun
Introduction
With a population of fifty-one million, South Korea is the 12th largest
economy when measured in nominal gross domestic product (GDP) as
of 2015. It ranks higher on energy consumption. South Korea is the 9th
largest energy consumer with per capita energy consumption being the
7th largest. Because it lacks domestic energy reserves despite relatively
high demand for energy, it has become one of the top energy importers
in the world. About 95% of energy sources come from abroad. South
Korea relies on imports for about 98% of its fossil fuel consumption. It is
S. Y. Kim (B)
Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon,
South Korea
e-mail: soyoungkim@kaist.ac.kr
I. Sun
Science and Technology Policy Institute (STEPI), Sejong, South Korea
© The Author(s) 2021
P. Midford and E. Moe (eds.), New Challenges and Solutions
for Renewable Energy, International Political Economy Series,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-54514-7_8
183