South Korea introduced climate change impact assessments under its Carbon Neutrality Framework Act in 2021, but omitted follow-up management rules. The government prioritized building the evaluation framework and avoided adding enforcement provisions to reduce industry backlash. As a result, projects that complete the assessment and consultation process face no penalties if they fail to implement promised greenhouse gas reductions during construction or operation. With large-scale projects now moving from planning to construction, the gap is becoming visible. The Ministry of Government Legislation confirmed that existing environmental impact assessment enforcement rules cannot be applied to climate assessments. Experts say the system needs legislative fixes, and suggest using budget reviews to monitor whether mitigation plans are actually carried out.
