On Saturday, more than 30,000 protesters gathered in the sweltering heat of Seoul, South Korea’s capital, to demand stronger government action on climate change. With temperatures soaring over 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit), demonstrators—both young and old—marched through the streets, making it the largest climate protest in the country this year.
The protest, organized by the 907 Climate Justice March Group Committee, saw participants waving banners reading “Climate justice,” “Protect our lives!” and condemning President Yoon Suk Yeol’s administration as a “climate villain.” The demonstrators emphasized the urgency of addressing climate change, with many saying that this summer would have been unbearable without air conditioning. “We need systemic change and we are running out of time to act,” said Yu Si-yun, one of the protest leaders.
The protest follows a landmark ruling by South Korea’s top court last month, which criticized the nation’s climate change law for failing to protect basic human rights and future generations. Among the 200 plaintiffs in the case were young climate activists and even infants, all demanding more robust action from the government.
Despite South Korea’s pledge to become carbon-neutral by 2050, the country remains the second-largest coal polluter among G20 nations, following Australia. The government has faced criticism for slowing its adoption of renewable energy and for lowering its 2030 targets for curbing industrial greenhouse-gas emissions, while maintaining its national goal of a 40% reduction from 2018 levels.
Protesters chose Seoul’s bustling Gangnam area, home to major corporations, to highlight their role in carbon emissions. Demonstrator Kim Eun-jung stated that this year’s choice of location was deliberate, aiming to draw attention to the responsibility of big businesses in contributing to the climate crisis.