October

The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment (MCEE) was launched.

December

To strengthen responses to the increasingly routine water crisis, the Water Management Policy Office was restructured, and the Water Disaster Response Division was newly established to oversee operations related to floods, droughts, and other water-related disasters.

January

To achieve unified management of water quantity, water quality, and disaster prevention, and to establish a sustainable integrated water management system, river-related affairs were transferred from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to the Ministry of Environment. The River Planning Division was newly established within the headquarters, and the River Bureau, comprising the River Planning Division, the River Construction Division, and the River Management Division, was newly established within the Regional and Local Environmental Offices.

June

The organization was restructured into the Climate and Carbon Policy Office and the Water Management Policy Office to enable efficient implementation of, and response to, climate change and water management policies.
- The Living Environment Policy Office and the Natural Environment Policy Office were reorganized as the Climate and Carbon Policy Office, with internal organizations restructured as the Nature Conservation Bureau (formerly the Nature Conservation Policy Directorate), the Resource Circulation Bureau (formerly the Resource Circulation Policy Directorate), and the Environmental Health Bureau (formerly the Environmental Health Policy Directorate).
- The Water Management Policy Office was newly established, comprising the Integrated Water Policy Directorate (formerly the Integrated Water Policy Bureau), the Water Environment Policy Directorate (formerly the Water Environment Policy Bureau), and the Water Resources Policy Directorate (formerly the Water Resources Policy Bureau).

The Climate Change International Cooperation Team was newly established within the Climate and Carbon Policy Office to strengthen international cooperation on climate change and carbon neutrality.

February

The Municipal Waste Division was newly established within the Resource Circulation Policy Directorate to reinforce public waste management functions.
The Air Quality Management Corps was newly established within the Regional Environmental Offices to build a region-based air quality management system in accordance with the enforcement of the Air Quality Management Zone Act.

September

The National Institute of Wildlife Disease Control and Prevention was newly established as an affiliated agency to conduct surveillance, diagnosis, investigation, and research on wildlife diseases, including zoonotic diseases.

August

The National Fine Dust Information Center was newly established as an affiliated agency to collect and analyze data on the causes of fine dust, the impact of related policies, and emission volumes.

May

The Water Supply and Sewage Policy Directorate was abolished, and the Integrated Water Policy Bureau was established to strengthen comprehensive coordination and oversight of water management policy.
The National Institute of Environmental Personnel Development was renamed the National Institute of Environmental Human Resources Development (NIEHRD).
The National Wetlands Center of the National Institute of Environmental Research (NIER) was abolished.

June

Affairs pertaining to the conservation, use, and development of water resources were transferred from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to the Ministry of Environment. The Water Resources Policy Bureau and the Flood Control Office were newly established.

March

The Environmental Satellite Center was newly established within the National Institute of Environmental Research (NIER) to conduct environmental satellite development and satellite data analysis.
The Genetic Resources Information Center was newly established within the National Institute of Biological Resources (NIBR).

January

The Greenhouse Gas Inventory and Research Center (GIR), formerly under the Office for Government Policy Coordination, was transferred to the Ministry of Environment to oversee the comprehensive operation of the Emissions Trading Scheme.
The Ministry of Environment underwent an organizational restructuring to enhance policy capacity in areas of daily life most closely affecting public health, including the establishment of the Living Environment Policy Office and the Policy Planning Directorate.
- (Newly established) Living Environment Policy Office; Policy Planning Directorate.
- (Function adjustment) Within the Natural Environment Policy Office: the Nature Conservation Policy Directorate (formerly the Nature Conservation Bureau), the Resource Circulation Policy Directorate (formerly the Resource Circulation Bureau); within the Inspector General's Office: the Environmental Investigation Directorate.
- (Renamed) Air Environment Policy Division → Clean Sky Planning Division; Environmental Health Management Division → Environmental Damage Relief Division.

March

To respond to future changes, including climate change and developments in the environmental industry, the Environmental Policy Directorate was reorganized as the Climate and Future Policy Bureau. To reinforce land and environmental conservation and environmental media management, the International Cooperation Directorate was reorganized into the Environmental Convergence Policy Directorate.

February

The Planning Division of the Wonju and Daegu Regional Environmental Offices was reorganized as the Planning and Evaluation Bureau.

January

With an aim to reinforce chemicals control and strengthen prevention and response to chemicals accidents, Chemicals Management Division of the head office was reorganized as Chemicals Policy Division and Chemical Safety Division. Chemicals Management Division of six regional environmental offices (except Wonju Regional Environmental office) was reorganized as Chemicals Safety Management Team to reinforce on-site management of chemicals.

Climate Change Mitigation Division was newly established for implementation of the Emissions Trading Scheme.

May

Air Quality Forecasting Center was newly established in the National Institute of Environmental Research to enhance accuracy of air quality forecast.

March

Task Force for Environmental Industry Test-bed Complex was newly established with a temporary period to March 2017 to support technological R&D and export of environmental companies.

December

"Institute of Chemical Safety" was launched as an affiliated agency under ME for prevention of and response to chemical accidents. Chemical management divisions were newly established in Wonju and Daegu Regional Environmental Office.

Natural Resources Division at the ME head office was separated and reorganized to Biodiversity Division and Park Ecosystem Division in accordance with the launch of National Institute of Ecology.

Water Quality Division was newly established in Daegu Regional Environmental Office for reinforced water quality management of Nakdong River

March

The 4th grade and 5th grade teams of the head office such as Public Relations Team, Environmental Inspection and Investigation Team and Greenhouse Gas Management Team were dissolved and Environmental Industry Team and Waste-to-Energy Team were converted to Environmental Industry Division and Waste-to-Energy division.

July

ater Quality Management Division was newly established at the ME head office for reinforced water quality management and monitoring in the four major rivers.

The name of Jeongju Regional Environmental Office was changed into Saemangeum Regional Environmental Office for reinforced environmental management for the Saemangeum development project sites, and the rank of the head position was upgraded from 4th grade official to senior executive level.

March

"Task Force for the Construction of National Institute of Ecology" was dissolved with the end of its temporary period.

A total of 5 personnel were reduced from the head office in accordance with the government wide restructuring plan. (one person from 5th grade, two from 6th grade, one from 7th grade and one from 8th grade)

January

Environmental Health Management Division and Greenhouse Gas Team at the head office were newly established. National Wetland Center at National Institute of Environmental Research (NIER) was newly established.

September

Construction Committee of the National Institute of Nakdong River Biological Resources was newly established.

January

NIBR was reorganized as an executive agency.

July

Greenhouse Gas Inventory & Research Center was established.

January

Korea Environment Corporation (KECO) was established.

April

Korea Environmental Industry & Technology Institute (KEITI) was established.

February

Restructuring of organizations through consolidation and separation were carried out.

February

Korea Meteorological Administration became a subsidiary of the Ministry.

February

Established National Institute of Biological Resources.

February

In accordance with the amendment of Toxic Chemicals Control Act, tasks to handle new chemicals and manage restricted and prohibited substances were added. Environmental Assessment Policy Division and Emergency Planning Office were established. Separated Department of Environmental Training under National Institute of Environmental Research and established National Institute of Environmental Human Resources Development.

April

Unified Innovation & Personnel and Environmental Data & Information to Planning & Management Office for more enhanced policy management functional system.

February

Modified its name, Waste Management & Recycling Bureau to Resource Recirculation Bureau.

January

Established Total Water Pollution Load Management System and Metropolitan Air Quality Management Office.

March

Established Total Air Pollution Load Management System.

October

Established National Environmental Conservation to strengthen the efficiency of promoting environmentally friendly National development policy and to protect environmental damages.

May

The Office of Forestry transferred the operation on protecting wild birds and hunting regulation to National Institute of Environmental Research.

February

Natural Parks Division of the Ministry of Domestic Affairs was transferred to the ME.

August

Marine Environment Division was transferred to newly established Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries.

October

The Environmental Investigation Division of the Water Quality Management Bureau and the Incheon Regional Environmental Management Office were established.

May

Water Supply and Sewage Treatment Bureau of the Ministry of Construction, Potable Water Management Division of the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs, and Water Quality Inspection Department of the National Health Institute were transferred to the ME. Regional Environmental Management Offices were re-organized as four offices, each responsible for one of the four major rivers, and three Regional Environmental Management Offices.

December

Environmental Officers Training Institute (EOTI) was established.

January

EA was upgraded to the ME. Six Regional Environmental Management Offices were established.

March

Environmental Management Corporation (EMC) was established.

October

The Regional Environmental Monitoring Offices were enlarged and re-organized as Environmental Branch Offices.

Septemper

Korea Resources Recovery & Reutilization Corporation (KRRRC) was established.

July

Six Regional Environmental Monitoring Offices were set up.

January

Environment Administration (EA) was established.