“[100 million tonne greenhouse gas club: Season 3] 70 companies account for two-thirds of national emissions, reduction efforts remain ‘at an early stage’”, 28 April 2026

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On 28 April, News Penguin, in collaboration with the Climate Change Action Research Institute, analysed data from the National Greenhouse Gas Comprehensive Management System.

The analysis found that, as of 2024, a total of 70 companies in the Republic of Korea each emitted more than one million tonnes of greenhouse gases annually. Together, these 70 companies emitted 453 million tonnes of greenhouse gases in a single year, accounting for 65.6% of the country’s total emissions (estimated at 691.58 million tonnes). In effect, just 70 companies were responsible for around two-thirds of national emissions.

Overall emissions from these companies declined compared to the previous year.

(…) However, experts argue that this cannot be regarded as a substantive reduction achievement. They note that emission reductions are concentrated in specific sectors, and that baseline emissions and reduction targets themselves are set at relatively low levels.

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The significant reduction in the power generation sector is attributed to government electricity supply planning, under which ageing coal-fired power plants are being phased out and partial transitions to renewable energy are taking place.

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Excluding the power generation sector, the largest emitting companies by industry were identified as POSCO in steel, Ssangyong C&E in cement, Samsung Electronics in semiconductors, and S-Oil in petrochemicals.