Korea: Sustainability

Expansion of eco-friendly national policies

Korea’s adoption and implementation of carbon-neutral policies has been slower than that of other developed nations, and it remains the second-highest coal polluter among G20 countries after Australia.⁷ Government efforts to increase acceptance of green practices and technologies picked up in 2021 with the enactment of the “Framework Act on Carbon Neutrality and Green Growth for Coping with Climate Crisis.”⁸

The Korean government announced several new policies in the first half of 2025 aimed at improving the country’s energy efficiency and reducing carbon emissions. In February, the Korean government finalized its 11^th Basic Plan for Long-Term Electricity Supply and Demand.⁹ The plan is expected to pave the way for Korea’s green energy transition in association with the recently passed Energy Trifecta Bill,¹⁰ which includes the National Grid Expansion, Special Offshore Wind Power, and High-Level Waste Management bills.

In April, the Ministry of Science and ICT announced a strategic plan to advance carbon capture and utilization (CCU) technologies.¹¹ During the launch event, the Ministry also unveiled the Action Plan for Advancing Carbon Capture and Utilization Technologies and Industries, which outlines a science and technology-driven approach to accelerating the transition toward a carbon-neutral society.

Learn more about recent initiatives to achieve carbon neutrality in specific sectors in the sidebar “Efforts in the cement and glass industries to reduce carbon emissions.”

Green technology developments at research institutes

Many Korean institutes are focusing R&D efforts on environmentally friendly technologies, such as those that improve the energy efficiency of industrial and residential systems, reduce carbon emissions, and combat waste. The developments described below offer a glimpse into the types of research taking place.

Smart windows that selectively reflect heat and light

On June 20, 2025, KAIST reported that one of its research teams had developed an electrochromic smart window technology that operates in three modes depending on voltage control.¹² In contrast to traditional metal deposition smart windows, this window effectively suppresses the glare phenomenon caused by external reflected light. It can also actively control the transmittance of both visible and near-infrared light, thus “presenting a truly smart window platform that comprehensively considers not only active indoor thermal control but also the visual safety of pedestrians,” Professor Hong Chul Moon of KAIST says in the announcement.

Building-integrated photovoltaic technology

On May 29, 2025, KIMS announced a joint venture with Korea Southern Power Co., Ltd. for the development of building-integrated photovoltaic technology to be integrated into building exteriors.¹³

“By embedding solar modules into architectural elements such as roofs, exterior walls, and windows, the system not only generates electricity but also functions as a part of the building envelope,” the announcement notes.

A polymer cyclicality breakthrough

On March 6, 2025, Korean Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) announced that a research team in its Convergence Research Center for Solutions to Electromagnetic Interference in Future-mobility had developed a new polymeric material with self-healing capabilities and high recyclability.¹⁴ The material can selectively depolymerize into monomers upon disposal, even when mixed with conventional plastics, and the recovered monomers can then be used to synthesize polymers with properties matching those developed from raw materials.

To learn more about how the intellectual property rights of government-funded innovations at research institutions are handled, read the sidebar “Intellectual property sharing in Korea.”

---

Efforts in the cement and glass industries to reduce carbon emissions

Report contributed by Haejin Hwang, president of the Korean Ceramic Society. Special thanks to Woo Sung Yum, Hyeong Jun Kim, and Sung-Min Lee of KICET for their assistance.

Cement

The Korean cement industry has long served as a key partner in the nation’s construction infrastructure. In October 2022, research funding totaling approximately US$215 million was approved for the 2023–2030 period, launching the “Cement Industry Carbon Neutrality Program” with participation from all domestic cement producers. This program, which aims to cut CO₂ emissions by 12% compared to current levels and achieve full carbon neutrality by 2050, focuses on three main strategies:

• Replacing carbonate-based raw materials with noncarbonate alternatives.
• Substituting fossil fuels with alternatives, such as waste synthetic resins.
• Re-mineralizing CO₂ emissions for reuse in cement products.

Technologies are being developed to replace limestone—the primary raw material for cement—with noncarbonate sources, and blended cements using a variety of inorganic materials are being promoted to reduce limestone consumption. However, Korea currently has fewer types of blended cement compared to Europe or the U.S., and related legal standards are underdeveloped, prompting efforts to establish new national standards.

About 30% of CO₂ emissions during cement manufacturing come from fuel combustion. To address this source of emissions, research is underway to replace coal with waste plastics and other alternatives, creating a circular, eco-friendly energy ecosystem. Still, using waste plastics introduces challenges such as chlorine bypass dust generation and changes in cement chloride content, requiring updates to national standards.

Efforts are also underway to recycle CO₂ within the cement industry, including CO₂ reaction-hardening cement, mineral carbonation of chlorine bypass dust, and carbonation of construction materials. Institutional frameworks to support these efforts are in development.

Glass

In the glass industry, national projects for carbon reduction are equally active. The goal is to secure technologies that will reduce annual CO₂ emissions by 350,000 tons by 2030 and a total of 3.92 million tons by 2050. The approach centers on three areas:

• Reduce about 25% of CO₂ emissions through noncarbonate raw materials.
• Increase recycled glass usage and improve melting efficiency via pretreatment.
• Enhance process efficiency and reduce emissions through digital manufacturing, with a goal of up to 5% energy savings.

Oxy-fuel combustion technology, unlike conventional air-based melting, maximizes combustion efficiency and heat generation, significantly reducing fuel consumption. When combined with hybrid heating that integrates electricity, precise temperature control becomes possible, targeting up to 50% CO₂ reduction. Development is also underway for hydrogen-based combustion burners and next-generation glass melting furnaces, with design-to-simulation R&D in progress.

Other product-level efforts include lightweighting glass bottles and commercializing vacuum and quadruple glazing for energy-efficient windows. These innovations are expected to make a meaningful contribution to the glass industry’s 2050 carbon neutrality goal.

---

Intellectual property sharing in Korea

Report contributed by Haejin Hwang, president of the Korean Ceramic Society. Special thanks to Woo Sung Yum, Hyeong Jun Kim, and Sung-Min Lee of KICET for their assistance.

In Korea, intellectual property (IP) generated through government-funded research projects is, in principle, owned by the university or national research institute that carried out the work. This setup ensures transparent management and fair use of publicly funded R&D outcomes.

For projects fully funded by a company, the resulting IP generally belongs to the company. In the case of joint research, patents are shared according to agreed contribution levels, often split 50:50 between the university and the company.

If a company wishes to use a jointly owned patent, it must enter into a technology transfer agreement, which can take the form of equity purchase of patent rights, granting of nonexclusive licenses, or assignment of exclusive licenses under specific conditions. Most cases involve granting nonexclusive licenses, but exclusivity is possible when justified.

Korea’s system provides substantial inventor compensation for technology transfer. Typically, 50–60% of technology transfer income is distributed to the inventors to incentivize innovation and industrial application. In cases where only one domestic company can utilize a patent, the patent may be sold outright at an appraised value, with proceeds again prioritizing inventor compensation and the remainder allocated to the institution for reinvestment in R&D.

To enhance the effectiveness of technology transfer, more universities and research institutes now operate technology licensing offices, with internal rules allowing up to 10% of transfer revenues as additional incentives for contributors. Yet the globalization of research collaborations has introduced challenges, as differing national IP ownership rules can complicate joint projects.

Return to main article: “Korea’s ambitious intelligence“