Rep. Park Hae-cheol of the Democratic Party of Korea said April 29 that carbon neutrality to respond to the climate crisis is “no longer a choice but a necessity,” citing rapidly rising electricity demand as the artificial intelligence industry expands.
In a written congratulatory message for the “2026 Ajunews Energy Forum” held at the Press Center in Seoul’s Jung District, Park said, “We are now standing before the huge wave of a major energy transition.”
He said the reshaping of global supply chains and securing energy security have become key tasks that will determine national competitiveness.
Park said power demand is increasing quickly with the rapid growth of the AI industry, heightening the need for a stable energy supply system and the construction of an intelligent power grid. He added that policymakers should carefully consider a public-led restructuring of supply chains and concerns that the public interest could be undermined during the energy transition.
“Energy transition is not simply a change in fuels,” he said, calling it a process that innovates the broader industrial structure and creates future growth engines.
Park said he hopes the forum will help lay the groundwork for South Korea’s push to become a leading energy power.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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