 "30,000 South Koreans have taken to the streets in Seoul: Why are they protesting?")
More than 30,000 protesters filled the streets of South Korea’s capital, Seoul, on Saturday (September 7), demanding stronger government action on a burning global issue amid scorching summer heat.
Demonstrators of all ages gathered in one of the country’s largest protests this year, causing traffic disruptions in the bustling Gangnam district on a hot day with temperature over 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit), to raise their voice against inaction on climate change.
Organisers chose the Gangnam area, a financial and shopping hub, to ensure their message reached major corporations they hold accountable for significant carbon emissions. Last year, the protest took place in Seoul’s Gwanghwamun area.
Conservative government blamed
Waving banners with messages like “Climate justice,” “Protect our lives!” and denouncing President Yoon Suk Yeol’s administration as a “climate villain,” the protesters called for urgent reforms to address global warming.
Protesters highlighted the urgency of the climate crisis, pointing to a record-breaking summer in Seoul, where temperatures stayed above 25 C (77 F) for 20 consecutive nights—officially classified as “tropical nights.”
“This is a survival issue for younger generations,” said Kim Ki-chang, a 46-year-old novelist attending the protest for the third year in a row. “The older generation should do more to protect the future.”
Impact Shorts
More Shorts‘Running out of time’
“Without air conditioning, this summer would have been unlivable,” said Yu Si-yun, an environmental activist and protest leader. “This is a global crisis, and we are running out of time. We need systemic change now.”
The protest was organised by the 907 Climate Justice March Group Committee and came in the wake of a recent South Korean court ruling that criticised the country’s climate laws for failing to protect basic human rights and future generations.
The lawsuit, filed by 200 plaintiffs, including young climate activists, accused the government of not doing enough to curb climate change.
A failing carbon neutrality pledge
Despite South Korea’s pledge to reach carbon neutrality by 2050, the nation remains the second-largest coal polluter among G20 economies, behind Australia. Critics argue the government has been slow to adopt renewable energy and last year lowered its 2030 targets for reducing industrial greenhouse gas emissions, although it maintained its national goal of a 40 per cent reduction from 2018 levels.
Climate change is already impacting South Korea’s agriculture. Farmers have reported reduced quality and quantity of napa cabbage, a key ingredient in the country’s staple kimchi, as a result of rising temperatures.
With inputs from Reuters
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