Sejong, September 2 - The Ministry of Environment (Minister Han Wha-jin) announced that the gross expenditure from the ministry budget and fund for 2023 is expected to be KRW 13.7271 trillion, which is 3.8% higher than the previous year. The Ministry's budget and funds are KRW 11,846.3 billion and KRW 1,880.8 billion, respectively, a 2.4% and 13.6% increase from the previous year. 

The Ministry of Environment drew up a budget focusing on people's safety, strengthening fundamental environmental rights, and supporting national policy tasks of the new government. First, the budget for 2023 would allow the environment ministry to prioritize protecting people from floods, urban inundation, drinking water accidents, and hazardous chemicals. Second, the ministry will expand the budget to fulfill people's environmental rights, such as clean air, nature, and ecological services, and respond to various demands for environmental services. Third, the ministry will continuously invest to achieve carbon neutrality and shift to a sustainable economy and society. 

The ministry will prioritize our budget for forecasting, monitoring, and preventing urban inundation and floods not to repeat the loss of lives and property damage caused by torrential rain in early August. The ministry will expedite the establishment of a flood forecasting system using artificial intelligence (AI) by developing AI flood forecasting, a digital twin for dams and rivers, and satellites for disaster management.

The ministry will build two small rainfall radars in Busan and Ulsan, nine flood control rooms in regional environmental offices, and 2,730 closed circuit television across all sections of the national river to monitor urban inundation and fluvial flooding. To prevent flood damage around Gwanghwamun and Gangnam Station, the ministry plans to build two more deep underground rainwater tunnels and extensively increase the sewer pipes and sewage treatment plant budget to better cope with urban flooding. The ministry newly allocates the budget for a flood prevention facility in Dorimcheon Stream in Seoul to prevent fluvial flooding.

The Ministry of Environment will take stronger measures to resolve people's fear factors of drinking water, such as larvae discovered in tap water or algal blooms in water intake stations. To completely prevent the occurrence of living creatures in tap water, the ministry will install microfiltration systems in 150 water purification plants managed by 46 local governments. The ministry will continue to try to prevent the spread of algal blooms by improving public water intake and pumping stations. 

The Ministry of Environment plans to increase the budget to manage the prolonged African swine fever virus regularly. The ministry also plans to build the Wildlife Quarantine Center to prevent the entry of wildlife diseases.

The Ministry of Environment will expand the scope of projects to improve the safety management of chemical substances and products and lift the burden of small and medium-sized chemical companies to register and approve chemicals and biocides. The ministry will continue to assist in improving the SMEs' handling facilities of chemical substances, conducting safety diagnoses, and forming regional emergency response systems to prevent workplace chemical incidents.

 

The Ministry of Environment will reduce ultrafine particle emissions, focusing on transportation sector to make the county's level of particle pollution the middle of OECD countries. 

The ministry prepared a budget for 290,000 zero-emission vehicles and 62,000 additional charging stations to reach the supply goal of zero-emission vehicles in five years. The ministry will extend its vehicle scrappage subsidy program, which is currently applied only to Grade 5 diesel vehicles, to Grade 4 diesel vehicles.

The ministry will improve air quality. The revised 'Enforcement Rules of the Clean Air Conservation Act' makes installing a reduction device for gas engine heat pumps (GHP) mandatory. Accordingly, the ministry will support 15,625 GHPs to install reduction devices from next year. 

The Ministry of Environment will increase its budget for waste management and recycling infrastructure to process waste more safely and recycle them more efficiently. Next year, the ministry plans to build twenty new waste management facilities, including reclamation and incineration plants, for twenty local governments. The ministry will also install reusable cup return machines in public places and private stores as part of its efforts to launch the disposable cup deposit system at the end of this year. 

The Ministry of Environment allocates its budget to create sustainable green land and respond to the people's increased demand for ecological services.

  

The ministry will continue to restore and expand green spaces, such as restoring ecologically damaged land and urban ecological axis. The ministry will also increase the number of local government subject to the management by the ministry to protect domestic ecosystem from invasive foreign species. 

In accordance with the agreement to end bear bile farming, the ministry plans to build two sanctuaries for captive bears in Seocheon and Gurye. The ministry will support for maintenance costs to the farm who already gave up bear bile farming. 

The ministry will also renovate all the old restrooms, parking lots, camping sites, and information centers within national parks to fit the public level. 

The ministry will put its continuous efforts into providing environmental health services for vulnerable areas and groups. The ministry will conduct health impact assessments and support for environmental purification in areas with a high probability of environmental diseases due to the sprawling development and coal-fired power plants. We will also continue our medical care assistance for vulnerable groups.

To improve 'water welfare,' the Ministry of Environment plans to build four new wide-area waterworks to address the imbalance in water supply and establish a stable water supply system. We will provide extensive support for the stable supply of potable water to remote island areas vulnerable to drought.

Moreover, the ministry plans to alleviate the social inequality of vulnerable groups caused by climate change and the consequent adaptation efforts with financial investment. 

Our plans for 2023 include supporting around 3,000 vulnerable social groups in small towns by building rest areas to use during heat and cold waves and renovating their roofs and windows. 

Moreover, the ministry plans to alleviate the social inequality of vulnerable groups caused by climate change and the consequent adaptation efforts with financial investment. 

Our plans for 2023 include supporting around 3,000 vulnerable social groups in small towns by building rest areas to use during heat and cold waves and renovating their roofs and windows. 

 

In order to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 and transform into a new economic and social structure, the Ministry of Environment will strengthen its support for a green economy for all economic and social entities, including companies, people, and the public sector, and R&D for future environmental technologies. 

Above all, the ministry will expand the budget for financial support and policy loans to stimulate the transition to green industry and a low-carbon economy. The ministry will expand the scope of support for the GHG reduction facility to companies as a part of its measures to boost efforts toward carbon neutrality of companies engaged in either the GHG emissions trading scheme or GHG target management scheme. The ministry will create a low-carbon industrial ecosystem for SMEs and venture companies by expanding fund of funds and low-interest loans. It will also expand the state's compensation for the difference between the procurement interest rate and the loan rate of funds raised (about 3.5 trillion won, interest rate about 1.6%p preferential interest rate) in connection with the private financial market to revitalize green finance.

The Ministry of Environment will also reinforce its support to encourage the participation of citizens and local governments in the national initiatives toward carbon neutrality. The ministry plans to expand the carbon point system and build the Carbon Neutrality Experience Center to raise the public's carbon neutrality awareness and motivate them to live carbon-neutral life. Furthermore, the ministry plans to build a Carbon Neutrality Support Center and support to transform it into a carbon-neutral city to encourage cooperation from local governments.

The ministry will allocate its budget to lay the foundation for carbon capture and storage, clean energy, and a circular economy. Its budget for national parks and wetland protection areas will contribute to increasing their carbon absorption. The ministry's plan also includes building pyrolysis facilities, hydrogen production facilities using biogas, and a recycling cluster.

Lastly, the Ministry of Environment will forge ahead with research and development to support the future economy and social framework. The ministry will increase our budget for localizing core environmental technologies, including the production of ultrapure water. We will also expand the budget for technologies for a circular economy, such as recycling spent batteries, spent solar panels, and converting plastic waste into fuel.

The Ministry of Environment will submit the budget and fund proposal for 2023 to the National Assembly on September 2 for parliamentary deliberation. The budget proposal is expected to be approved on December 2. 

Environment Minister Han Wha-jin said, "The next-year budget of the Ministry of Environment focuses on playing its role in safeguarding the people and providing quality environmental services. The Ministry of Environment allocates its budget for adequate support for the transition to future economic and social structures, such as the transition toward carbon neutrality. We will faithfully engage in the National Assembly's deliberation for the budget proposal and exert our utmost effort for the people to experience a better environment."

Contact: Lee Seung-hyun, Senior Deputy Director

Planning and Budget Division / +82-(0)44-201-6337

Foreign Media Contact: Chun Minjo(Rachel)

+82-(0)44-201-6055 / rachelmchun@korea.kr