Researchers estimate that 600 million tons of gas hydrate, often called burning ice, are stored beneath the seabed near Dokdo. These deposits form under high pressure and low temperatures, offering a potential alternative to traditional fossil fuels with lower carbon dioxide emissions during combustion. Despite the energy potential, the extraction of gas hydrates poses significant environmental risks. If methane leaks into the atmosphere during the mining process, it could accelerate global warming due to the high potency of methane as a greenhouse gas.
