At 10:30 AM on July 9, 2026, we co-hosted a press conference with the Jeju Action for Nuclear-Free and Climate Crisis(hereafter referred to as Jeju Action) on the steps of the main gate of the Jeju Provincial Office. The event was held to report the results of the “Pan-Provincial Signature Campaign Calling for the Suspension and Complete Review of the 300MW Gas Power Plant Project” and to deliver a petition to the Jeju Provincial Government reflecting the collective will of the participants.
Jeju’s transition to renewable energy is accelerating. On March 30, at the Jeju Town Hall Meeting presided over by President Lee Jae-myung, the government announced a plan to supply 2.5GW of renewable energy and 1GW of Energy Storage Systems (ESS) by 2030. Furthermore, the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment recently established a strategy to accelerate renewable energy in Jeju, coordinating an even larger expansion of renewable energy and ESS than initially announced. The President’s pledge to make Jeju an RE100 island is becoming a reality.
Amidst this progress, the plan to construct a new 300MW gas power plant is still moving forward. Korea East-West Power’s 150MW gas power plant project is only awaiting final approval for implementation, while Korea Midland Power’s 150MW gas power plant is preparing for the main review of its environmental impact assessment (EIA). Facilities expected to emit 1.1 million tons of greenhouse gases annually, along with massive amounts of air pollutants, are being pushed forward in Jeju—a province aggressively advocating for carbon neutrality by 2035 and a 100% transition to renewable energy.
The issues surrounding this project are manifold. Starting with the massive emissions of greenhouse gases and air pollutants, issues such as a lack of economic feasibility due to hydrogen co-firing generation and an excessive power generation capacity compared to electricity demand are serious matters that cannot be taken lightly. Furthermore, with the recent exposure of severe air pollution levels from existing gas power plants in the Jeju region and the controversy over financial deficits caused by frequent operational suspensions, voices demanding a complete reconsideration of the new construction plans are growing louder by the day.
In response, Jeju Action conducted a signature campaign demanding that the Jeju Provincial Government halt the procedures for the new gas power plants and officially request a complete review from the central government. A total of 1,721 Jeju residents who sympathized with this cause participated in the campaign. The reason so many residents joined is due to deep concerns that this project could severely hinder Jeju’s renewable energy transition and pose a direct threat to the residents’ right to health. In particular, it was repeatedly confirmed that Korea East-West Power omitted crucial air quality evaluations for hydrogen co-firing generation—which produces significantly more nitrogen oxides—during its EIA process.
As such, the construction of these new gas power plants—which exacerbate the climate crisis, obstruct a just energy transition, and directly harm the health of our residents—must be stopped immediately. Furthermore, through a comprehensive review, this project must absolutely be removed from the 12th Basic Plan for Long-term Electricity Supply and Demand. Consequently, following the press conference, Jeju Action met with the Senior Secretary for Political Affairs of Jeju Province and proposed the following three points:
- Immediately suspend the implementation approval process for Korea East-West Power’s new gas power plant development project and convene an expert committee to review the false and inadequate environmental impact assessment.
- Halt the main review of Korea Midland Power’s environmental impact assessment and demand that the central government conduct a complete review of the entire 300MW gas power plant construction plan.
- Transparently disclose all information related to the promotion of the new 300MW gas power plant and establish a governance body for public deliberation among the residents.
Regarding this press conference, Kim Jungdo, Executive Chair of Jeju Action and Director of the Alliance for Resource & Climate Justice Center, stated, “Governor Wi Seong-gon promised the phased transition of essential-run generators into emergency power sources as one of his top 100 pledges, and he also declared a large-scale expansion of renewable energy and ESS.” He emphasized, “Since the issue of building new gas power plants directly contradicts Governor Wi’s own pledges, a solution to this problem must be sincerely reviewed and established.”
