Climate Change Media Debates in Korea

The media analysis in 2009 and questionnaire survey in 2010 undertaken in Korea as parts of COMPON research found that Korean society is inclined to accept climate science with little skepticism. Even though Korea has accomplished fast economic growth, it deeply depends on dominant climate science in the West. In Korea, IPCC’s assessment reports, especially the 4^th Assessment Report (AR4), have strongly influenced public awareness and policy response. Korean mass media have delivered IPCC's position on the advent and cause of climate change and renowned research results of western institutes and universities and have confirmed outcome of mainstream climate science. Also, changing climate in Korea confirms climate science. As a result, not much skepticism has dispersed in Korea. Since Korea does not have strong political power in international negotiations and has been pressured by international society because of its top 9^th CO₂ emissions in the world, it has prepared climate policies and action based on scientific accomplishment of IPCC and developed countries’ research institutions and universities. Especially, the Korean government and government-affiliated research institute are main sources of scientific knowledge on climate change in Korea. With acceptance of climate change as a result of human socio-economic activities, mitigation becomes a main topic in climate policy arena and climate change is understood as a new economic opportunity in Korea, even by the business sector, which accepts climate science relatively reluctantly compared with the governmental sector, civil society and mass media. Civil organizations most strongly support precautionary approach even with scientific uncertainty concerning climate change. However, organizations in Korea have not made serious efforts in climate science, while accepting research results from developed countries.