Korean Green Growth: A Paradigm Shift in Sustainability Policy, and its International Implications

This article evaluates Korea’s green growth law and policies in order to assess the role of green growth in international environmental law. We provide a short overview of Korean law and policy and contextualize Korean green growth by comparing it to the OECD’s green growth vision. We then critically examine green growth from administrative and international law perspectives. Building on this analysis, we consider how the Korean domestic experience, and the initial efforts made to “transplant” aspects of green growth in other nations, can provide insight into future environmental and economic policies. While proponents of green growth continue to face significant challenges in Korea and abroad, there have been notable initial successes. Korea’s forthcoming introduction of an emissions trading system and the collaboration between Korea and Cambodia to develop Cambodia’s institutional capacity for green growth are two conspicuous examples. Green growth remains a promising framework in Korea and abroad; its ultimate impact will depend upon sustained political and social support for the implementation of the ambitious policies green growth prescribes.