Top Stories 23/07/12 South Korea’s poor bear the brunt of extreme weather

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South Korea’s poor bear the brunt of extreme weather

Despite being an economic powerhouse, East Asian nation has a high level of poverty and people known as ‘energy poor'

Elderly Koreans are seen in the Guryong slum near Seoul's wealthy Gangnam district. (Photo: AFP)

By UCA News reporter

Published: July 12, 2023 12:40 PM GMT

Park Gyeong-hwa, 61, endures the scorching summer heat in her one-room home in the Donui-dong area of the South Korean capital Seoul because she cannot afford an air conditioner.

“I can’t even think of an air conditioner in the summer because I’m worried about the spike in living costs,” said Park.

Her 3.3 square meter home is made of plywood and fails to block out the higher than 25 degrees Celsius heat during summer months, she said.

She estimates an air conditioner will cost her an additional 200,000 won (US$153) per month.

The local government claims to have installed air conditioners in the hallway of houses as part of a welfare scheme for the poor.

However, people like Park are unable to reap the benefits.

There are about 1.3 million households or eight percent of all households in South Korea like Park’s who cannot afford to protect themselves from extreme weather situations, according to a study by the Korea Energy Economic Institute.

These people, known as "energy poor" or "fuel poor" do not have the money to purchase air conditioning or heating facilities to offset heatwaves and very cold weather.

Environmental activists have termed the situation as “life-threatening” in the East Asian country, which has been experiencing extreme weather including heatwaves and heavy rain due to the impacts of climate change.  

In July last year, the Korea Meteorological Administration reported that the impact of daily life and industrial activities is gradually sparking extreme levels of environmental change on the Korean Peninsula.

The report analyzed weather patterns and noted that East Asia, including Korea, has been experiencing record-breaking heat and heavy rain causing extensive damage in the region.

The agency said it is expected that in 2050 the number of heatwave days will surge from last year’s 17.9 to 40.4. In addition, the number of tropical nights (higher than 25 degrees Celsius in the morning) will surge to 37.3 days, a 13-fold increase from last year.

In fact, the average temperature from March to May last year was 13.2 degrees Celsius, 1.3 degrees higher than the average over the last 30 years and the highest since 1973. In June last year, the average temperature in Korea was 25.7 degrees Celsius, an all-time high since records began. 

Extreme weather hits poor people like Park whose meager income is barely enough for survival.

Despite being an economic powerhouse in Asia, South Korea still has a high level of poverty compared to other members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

The organization of 38 developing nations reported in 2021 that about 43.4 percent of elderly South Koreans suffer from relative income poverty despite more than 45 percent being part of the labor force.

The poverty rate was more than three times the OECD average of 13.1 percent.

In 2020, a nationwide survey of 298 energy-vulnerable households found 85 percent were highly vulnerable and the average age of family members was 75.3 years.

About 77 percent of the respondents said they were not engaged in economic activities, and five percent said they live in debt.

The average monthly household income of respondents was between $240-464.

About 62 percent said they live in houses that are more than 30 years old and conditions were not favorable to avoid the cold and heat.

About 88 percent of households were using electric fans, while about 75 percent said they experienced health problems such as dizziness and headaches due to the heat.

However, the situation is poised to get worse for the poor as the government has announced a hike in power prices.

In May, the government announced electricity rates and gas prices would rise by 5.3 percent in the second quarter due to high global energy costs and financial losses of state utility companies, Korea Pro reported on May 16.

The increases will result in an average rise of $2.20 per month for a four-member household for electricity and $3.30 for gas.

Activists say the government has not considered long-term alternatives to the energy crisis and has not taken effective measures to protect poor and vulnerable people from the energy price hike.

Park Jin-hee, director of the Energy and Climate Policy Research Institute, said the government must consider “justice and environment” issues together.

“The government has not announced long-term alternatives to the energy crisis, including international energy price hikes that are likely to continue for the time being,” she said.

“It is also necessary to reorganize the energy welfare target in consideration of the situation in which the number of vulnerable people will increase, but this discussion has not even started yet,” she added.

Park also criticized government welfare measures for the poor during the winter like providing heating items that burn fossil fuels such as briquettes and kerosene through energy price discounts and fuel cost support.

“This is an obstacle to moving toward carbon-neutrality,” she said.

South Korea became the 14th nation to legislate for carbon neutrality, in 2021. The law requires the government to reduce greenhouse gas (carbon) emissions by 35 percent or more from 2018 levels.

However, the government came under fire after the ruling People Power Party government of President Yoon Seok-yeol announced it will embrace nuclear power to overcome energy deficits.

The move irked Catholic and environmental groups as the move was a U-turn from the nuclear phase-out policy of the previous government of Moon Jae-in.

Park said that instead of a temporary approach, the government should consider long-term measures for both energy efficiency and supporting vulnerable people.

“The scale and targets of energy efficiency improvement projects, including boiler equipment replacement and housing insulation projects, should be expanded rather than [cash] voucher projects,” she added.

This story is published in partnership with the Catholic Times of Korea