COP30 Focus: South Korea Commits to Phase Out Coal
On 17 November 2025, in what may come to be seen as one of the big wins for COP30, the Republic of Korea (RoK) and Bahrain joined the Powering Past Coal Alliance (PPCA), a global coalition of over 180 national and subnational governments, businesses and organisations working to advance the transition from unabated coal power generation to clean energy. This is a highly significant decision by an Asian industrial powerhouse and the world’s fourth largest coal importer, and it has major implications for large scale coal exporters like Australia and Indonesia. These are some extracts from the PCCA announcement.
The Republic of Korea currently operates the 7th largest coal fleet in the world. By joining the PPCA, the Korean government has officially announced, for the first time, its commitment to stop building new unabated coal power plants and phasing out existing and unabated coal power plants. Out of 61 existing coal power plants, 40 coal power plants are confirmed to phase out by 2040. The phase out date for the remaining 21 coal power plants will be determined based on economic and environmental feasibility after public discussion, and a specific plan is scheduled to be established next year.
Kim Sung-hwan, Minister of Climate, Energy and Environment, Republic of Korea said:
“By joining the PPCA, we are demonstrating the Republic of Korea’s commitment to accelerating a just and clean energy transition. Through the Alliance, we will kickstart our coal phase-out, as well as help the Alliance advance the coal transition worldwide. The shift from coal to clean power is not only essential for the climate. It will also help both the Republic of Korea, and all other countries increase our energy security, boost the competitiveness of our businesses, and create thousands of jobs in the industries of the future.”
Republic of Korea’s heavily industrialised and export-focused economy will gain a competitive advantage, making it a more attractive place for businesses around the world to invest, as they increasingly seek zero-carbon power. Coal phase-out will also help the country save billions of dollars in energy imports, as almost all of the country’s coal is imported, making it the fourth largest coal importer in the world.
For these reasons, according to a recent opinion poll, 99% of Korean business executives wanted a shift from fossil-based to renewables-based electricity and 92% supported the phase-out of coal specifically within a decade.