A study shows South Korea still has a long way to go in curbing its carbon dioxide emissions... which grew at a faster pace over the past decade than any other OECD member country apart from Turkey.
Korea's reliance on coal-fired power plants is cited as the main culprit.
Kim Ji-yeon reports.
South Korea has the fourth highest carbon emissions among the OECD,... following the U.S., Japan and Germany.
According to a study by British petroleum giant BP... Korea's carbon dioxide emissions grew by more than two-percent compared to the previous year to reach nearly 680-million tons last year.
The study suggests Korea is only taking baby steps in joining the global bandwagon in putting a cap on greenhouse gases.
The country's carbon dioxide emissions recorded double-digit growth of 24-point-6-percent in the decade leading up to 2017.
In contrast, emissions by other OECD member countries have decreased by nearly 9-percent during the same period.
Only Turkey had a faster rate of emissions growth than Korea with a staggering 50-and-a-half-percent growth rate.
The study attributes Korea's high greenhouse gas emissions to its reliance on fossil fuels for meeting its energy needs, which has also led to high levels of fine dust.
It says Korea has the third highest level of coal consumption out of OECD member countries.
In response, Korea's Environment Ministry says it laid out plans late last year to sharply reduce domestic greenhouse gas emissions by around 37-percent by 2030... to carry out its promise laid out in the 2015 Paris climate change agreement.
Kim Ji-yeon, Arirang News.