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Demonstrators call for government action on climate change through a performative protest in front of the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Seoul on Sept. 2. (Kim Hye-yun, staff photographer)

A recent poll in South Korea found that 96% of respondents reported that their experience with the COVID-19 pandemic and recent torrential rains had made them perceive the seriousness of the climate crisis issue.

According to findings announced on Sept. 3 from a survey of 1,500 South Koreans aged 14 to 69 nationwide conducted by Gallup Korea on Aug. 20-25 at the request of Green Korea, 65.3% of respondents said they perceived the climate crisis as “very serious,” while another 32.4% described it as “somewhat serious.” Respondents also agreed that they perceived the severity of the climate crisis more strongly after their experiences with the pandemic and various unusual weather patterns, with 59.6% answering “very much” and 36.2% answering “somewhat,” and 66.7% of respondents expressed “strong” or “general” agreement that the COVID-19 pandemic is related to the climate crisis.

When asked whether they agreed on the need to achieve zero net greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and for South Korea to also make this its goal, 57.1% answered that they “generally” agreed and 33.5% said they “strongly” agreed. When asked whom they viewed as responsible for responding to the climate crisis, 36.9% named the government, while 28.5% named companies/industry, 25.3% named individuals, and 4.6% named the National Assembly and political parties. Respondents chiefly relied upon media articles (42.5%) and the internet (40.6%) as sources of information on the climate crisis, while a mere 4.8% reported acquiring information through government promotional materials.

By Park Ki-yong, staff reporter

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