South Korea
Do-Hyun Kim et al. v. South Korea
Jurisdiction: Constitutional Court
Principle law(s): Framework Act on Low Carbon Green Growth, regulated by Enforcement Decree of the Framework Act on Low Carbon Green Growth
Side A: Do-Hyun Kim and other activists (Individual)
Side B: South Korean government (Government)
Core objectives: South Korean youth filed suit against the government alleging that insufficient action on climate change violates their fundamental rights.
Summary
On March 13, 2020, nineteen youth activists filed a complaint in the South Korean Constitutional Court alleging that the nation's climate change law violates their fundamental rights, including the right to live and a clean environment. South Korea's Framework Act on Low Carbon, Green Growth, which was amended in December 2019, commits to reducing annual nationwide greenhouse gases to 536 million tons by 2030, a 24% cut from 2017. The petitioners argue that this target is insufficient to keep global warming below 2 degrees Celsius.Case documents
- Translation of supplemental Brief (3) filed by plaintiffs (English)
- Supplemental Brief (3) filed by plaintiffs (Korean)
- Executive summary of supplemental brief (1) filed on September 2020 (English)
- Executive Summary of supplemental complaint filed on May 2020 (English)
- Executive summary of supplemental Brief (2) filed by plaintiffs (English)
- Translation of supplemental Brief (2) filed by plaintiffs (English)
- Supplemental Brief (2) filed by plaintiffs (Korean)
- Translation of supplemental brief (English)
- Supplemental brief filled by plaintiffs (Korean)
- Translation of supplemental complaint (English)
- Supplemental complaint (Korean)
- Translated complaint (English)
- Complaint (Korean)
- Unofficial translated summary of the complaint (English)
Related laws and policies
-
Framework Act on Low Carbon Green Growth, regulated by Enforcement Decree of the Framework Act on Low Carbon Green Growth
South Korea's Framework Act on Low Carbon Green Growth creates the legislative framework for mid- and long-term emissions reduction targets, cap-and-trade, carbon tax, carbon labelling, carbon disclosure, and the expansion of new and renewable energy. The Framework Act requires the government to ...