Korea to phase out coal plants by 2040 as ministry weighs worker protections

South Korea's environment ministry said it will hold a policy forum at the National Assembly on Oct. 22 to discuss how to protect power plant workers as the country retires its coal-fired generators by 2040, bringing labour groups, government officials and outside experts together on legislation that takes effect in September 2027.

The forum, co-hosted with the office of lawmaker Kim Joo-young and 13 other National Assembly offices, will focus on how to carry out the Special Act on Support for Workers of Coal-Fired Power Plants and Areas Slated for Closure, which takes effect on Sept. 16, 2027.

Discussion will centre on the act's implementation and on a proposed "just transition special district" system, which would designate regions expected to see employment and industrial disruption from the shift to carbon neutrality for early support.

Kim will open the session, followed by remarks from Lee Ho-hyun, the ministry's second vice minister. Lee Kyung-hee, a research fellow at the Korea Legislation Research Institute, will present a legal strategy for a fair labour transition in coal-plant regions, covering employment measures before plants shut, the scope of worker support, governance, vocational training and financing.

A labour ministry official, Eo Il-cheon, will then outline the criteria and procedures for designating special districts and the support measures planned for them. A panel discussion chaired by Oh Sang-bong, a vice president at the Korea Labor Institute, will follow, with power industry unions, legal and labour experts, and the ministry's clean power transition division taking part.

The ministry said it will review the views raised at the forum and reflect them in a coal transition road map being prepared in connection with the 12th Basic Plan for Electricity Supply and Demand, as well as in subordinate legislation under the special act. It added that it will work with the labour ministry, other relevant agencies, local governments and labour groups on support for employment stability and job changes.

"It is important to examine together the impact on power plant workers' employment during the energy transition," Lee said. "We will fully listen to voices from the field, including labour groups, and cooperate with relevant ministries and local governments to flesh out support measures for employment stability and job transitions."