Korea JoongAng Daily - Daily News from Korea

This article is by Shin Ha-nee and read by an artificial voice.

After a strong solo debut with last year's banger "body," singer Dayoung is approaching the next phase of her career with both ambition and careful calculation, determined not to simply chase the formula that first worked for her.

The next step begins with a song that the WJSN member described as a deliberate pivot away from "the 'body' part 2 that listeners may have expected."

"When a sequel comes after a successful film, it can sometimes feel underwhelming because of those initial expectations," said Dayoung during a group interview with journalists on Thursday at Starship Entertainment's headquarters in southern Seoul.

"So this time, I wanted to show what kind of genres I'm capable of before once again coming up with something that fits those expectations and keeping up the momentum going," she said.

Set to be released at 6 p.m., Tuesday, Dayoung's second single "What's a girl to do" is her latest experiment, expanding on her musical boundaries while underscoring her versatility as a solo artist.

The single features the title track of the same name, as well as a B-side, "Priceless (kaching kaching)," with Dayoung credited on both tracks for songwriting and lyrics.

Dayoung, who debuted as a member of girl group WJSN under Starship Entertainment in 2016, launched her solo career in September last year with her first digital single, "gonna love me, right?," featuring three songs: "body," "number one rockstar" and "marry me."

The lead track, "body," climbed as high as No. 9 on streaming platform Melon's Top 100 song chart, and No. 17 on the monthly chart. Dayoung also earned her first music show win with the song on SBS's "The Show" in September.

The scale of the success, she said, was something that she never had imagined even in her wildest dreams. It felt like being inside "The Truman Show," the 1998 satire, and that the world had somehow been staged around her, a girl who dreamed of performing on stage since she was 4 year old.

"When I won first place on a music show 14 days after my solo debut, the first thing that came to my mind was, 'Wow, I might actually be able to keep making music,' which was something I've always wanted," said Dayoung. "And when I looked down from the stage, my crew were all crying, and directors I'm close with ran out of the editing rooms to congratulate me."

But Dayoung's ambition extends far beyond becoming a one-hit wonder.

Building on that dreamlike breakthrough, the new single "What's a girl to do" marks a sonic evolution rather than a mere continuation or recreation of the previous hit. While "body" was an upbeat dance pop with addictive synths, Dayoung's latest title track, "What's a girl to do," leans more heavily into the R&B territory with a slightly slower tempo and a relatively restrained mood.

Dayoung admitted that the pressure to meet heightened expectations weighed heavily on her, and that the slower pace of the new single made her wonder how audiences might respond.

Still, she believed it was a now or never moment.

"I want to keep making music for as long as circumstances allow," Dayoung said. "And my goal is to continue putting out good music. I really love this song, 'What's a girl to do,' and I thought that this is the kind of song that would only work at this exact point, when people might be expecting a 'body' part 2."

R&B is a genre she has long wanted to pursue, Dayoung added, having grown up singing songs by powerhouse divas such as Alicia Keys, Brandy and Monica and Christina Aguilera. That impulse ultimately led her to fly to the United States in search of the right sound for her solo debut, a venture that resulted in "body" and in "What's a girl go do."

The singer was deeply involved in the project's creative process beyond the music itself, taking part across the production pipeline from styling to the making of the music video.

Visually speaking, her style remained largely the same from last year — ...

This article is by Woo Ji-won and read by an artificial voice.

Spending a weekend hiking has always felt like a questionable decision — which is why finding myself at the base of Mount Gwanak on a Sunday morning felt almost surreal.

And yet, there I was, tying the laces of my leather Nike sneakers that had no business being on a mountain to start my first hike in nearly a decade. Add in a 20,000-won ($15) T-shirt, a water-resistant polo jacket and some out-of-trend Adidas leggings, and it was pretty clear I was not someone who hikes regularly.

So what got me there?

A viral promise of "good energy" said to live on Mount Gwanak has, in recent months, been drawing crowds of young people to the rocky mountain in southern Seoul. Coincidence or not, the presence of Seoul National University — widely regarded as Korea's most prestigious university — at its base made the idea all the more convincing.

"The mountain is known for its jeonggi [strong energy], and the energy is so good that there's even a saying that if you make the same wish three times here, it will come true," Park said on the show.

In the Chinese practice of feng shui, mountains are not seen as mere formations, but as sources where energy originates and gathers. Among some feng shui experts, Mount Gwanak has long been considered powerful in energy with its high proportion of rocky terrain and its continuous ridgelines.

The interest in Mount Gwanak is visible in the data as well. According to Google Trends, searches for "Gwanaksan" in March reached around 80,000, 60 percent more than the 50,000 recorded in the same period last year.

So, why not give it a try? Lately, I've needed all the help I could get.

Still, I wasn't about to commit my entire day to hiking. Four hours, max — that was all I could give.

From the moment I arrived at the entrance, the mountain felt way different from what I remembered from the last time I hiked seven years ago. I had never seen the hikers look this young. Clusters of hikers in their 20s and 30s moved in pairs and groups, weaving past older, more seasoned trekkers.

This made it clear that many weren't seasoned hikers, but people like me drawn by the same promise of good energy. And, in a way, that realization felt a little sad, seeing just how many of us seemed to need it.

Park Pu-reum, who came with her colleagues, placed a stone and shouted, "Come to me, good energy!" She said she wished things at work would go well. "I want to get Gwanak's good energy," she said.

I did the same, picking out the tiniest stone I could find and placing it on a three-tier cairn with a wide, stable top so it wouldn't fall. The last thing I wanted was to cancel out all that good energy with one poorly placed rock. I also hoped the stones would stay intact long enough for the wishes behind them to linger just a little longer.

The path to the peak was less forgiving. There was no clear trail, just a stretch of bumpy rocks that had, over time, turned into steps from countless footsteps.

About an hour and a half in, I was finally just 500 meters (1,640 feet) away from Yeonjudae. From there, the climb eased up, with a small blessing of actual stairs. But just before reaching the platform, I ran into something unexpected. A long line.

People were lining up just to take photos with the summit marker, something that, not long ago, didn't require a wait at all.

I didn't even bother trying and skipped the line.

Even without the line for the photo, the whole Yeonjudae platform was packed.

I searched for a decent spot on the large rock and finally managed to squeeze an area among people unpacking everything from gimbap (seaweed rice roll) to instant ramyeon.

Sitting next to me was Lee Yoon-jae, who had come with three friends and was unpacking samgak (triangle) gimbap.

"Honestly, I lost all my energy getting up here," Lee said with a laugh. "But I came because people say the mountain gives you good energy, and since I made a wish, I hope it works."

Some regul...

This article is by Michael Lee, Yonhap and read by an artificial voice.

"Swim," the buoyant lead single from BTS's fifth studio album "Arirang," remained near the top of the Billboard Hot 100 for a second consecutive week, ranking second on the U.S. chart.

The track was only bested by Ella Langley's "Choosin' Texas" for the week of April 11, according to Billboard's preview released on Monday. The placement follows a No. 1 debut in the previous week and extends BTS's run at the very top tier of the chart.

According to the band's agency BigHit Music, "Swim" simultaneously topped Billboard's Global 200, Global Excl. U.S. and Digital Song Sales charts for a second straight week, reinforcing its reach beyond the United States.

During the tracking period from March 27 to Thursday, the song drew 106.3 million streams and 114,000 downloads worldwide, with 91.7 million streams and 46,000 downloads coming from outside the United States.

The song's reach is equally visible across regional charts. "Swim" logged roughly 52.6 million weekly streams on YouTube Music to retain the platform's No. 1 spot for a second week. It also placed No. 3 on Germany's official singles chart and No. 5 on Britain's Official Singles Top 100, maintaining a steady presence in major European markets.

Its performance has also lifted the album that it's on, according to the band's agency, as "Arirang" remained at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 for a second consecutive week — the first time a Korean act has achieved the feat.

A 14-track release, "Arirang" traces BTS's identity as a Korean band while reflecting the more universal emotional terrains that its members have navigated over the years. "Swim," co-written by the group's leader RM, leans into the theme of framing life's uncertainties as something to move through rather than resist.

Other tracks from the album have charted as well. "Body to Body" took the No. 2 spot on both the Global 200 and Global Excl. U.S. rankings, while "Hooligan," "FYA," "Normal" and "2.0" all remained within the top 10 of the latter chart, suggesting a depth of listener engagement beyond the lead single.

This article is by Michael Lee, Yonhap and read by an artificial voice.

"Swim," the buoyant lead single from BTS's fifth studio album "Arirang," remained near the top of the Billboard Hot 100 for a second consecutive week, ranking second on the U.S. chart.

The track was only bested by Ella Langley's "Choosin' Texas" for the week of April 11, according to Billboard's preview released on Monday. The placement follows a No. 1 debut in the previous week and extends BTS's run at the very top tier of the chart.

According to the band's agency BigHit Music, "Swim" simultaneously topped Billboard's Global 200, Global Excl. U.S. and Digital Song Sales charts for a second straight week, reinforcing its reach beyond the United States.

During the tracking period from March 27 to Thursday, the song drew 106.3 million streams and 114,000 downloads worldwide, with 91.7 million streams and 46,000 downloads coming from outside the United States.

The song's reach is equally visible across regional charts. "Swim" logged roughly 52.6 million weekly streams on YouTube Music to retain the platform's No. 1 spot for a second week. It also placed No. 3 on Germany's official singles chart and No. 5 on Britain's Official Singles Top 100, maintaining a steady presence in major European markets.

Its performance has also lifted the album that it's on, according to the band's agency, as "Arirang" remained at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 for a second consecutive week — the first time a Korean act has achieved the feat.

A 14-track release, "Arirang" traces BTS's identity as a Korean band while reflecting the more universal emotional terrains that its members have navigated over the years. "Swim," co-written by the group's leader RM, leans into the theme of framing life's uncertainties as something to move through rather than resist.

Other tracks from the album have charted as well. "Body to Body" took the No. 2 spot on both the Global 200 and Global Excl. U.S. rankings, while "Hooligan," "FYA," "Normal" and "2.0" all remained within the top 10 of the latter chart, suggesting a depth of listener engagement beyond the lead single.

This article is by Cho Jung-woo and read by an artificial voice.

[KOREAN CRIME FILES #17]

Behind the glitz and glamour seen in pop culture, Korea's grimmest and most harrowing crime stories, some more well-known than others, continue to haunt society today. The Korea JoongAng Daily takes a deep dive into some of these stories, sharing a glimpse into the darker side of society as well as the most up-to-date known facts. — Ed.

On the afternoon of June 17, 2008, a blue Hyundai Porter truck rolled into a parking garage near Seoul's Express Bus Terminal in Seocho District, southern Seoul.

Inside the truck sat a man with his 9-year-old daughter.

"I'll go get Mom," he told her, stepping out of the vehicle.

Walking away from the truck, the man pulled on a shoulder-length wig and approached the terminal plaza. He walked around, looking through throngs of people as he searched for the mother.

Soon, he spotted a couple talking to each other. Walking toward them, he suddenly pulled out a knife and stabbed the boyfriend 14 times until the victim collapsed to the ground. The attacker then turned to the woman. He wrapped his arm around her neck and stabbed her 18 times. The woman, surnamed Kim, was his ex-wife and the mother of the child who was waiting in the truck.

The attacker's clothes were soon soaked with blood. He dropped his knife and looked around before darting across an eight-lane road and fleeing the scene.

The victims were rushed to a nearby hospital. The man survived after emergency surgery; Kim did not. Within 30 minutes, she succumbed to her heart, lung, liver and rib injuries and was pronounced dead.

Seventeen years later, the suspected killer, 51-year-old Hwang Joo-yeon, remains one of Korea's most wanted fugitives.

Divorce and reunion

Hwang and Kim married in 1997 and lived in Namwon, North Jeolla. The marriage, marred by domestic violence and Hwang's pathological jealousy, ended in divorce in January 2003.

The separation didn't last. Hwang tearfully begged forgiveness, promising he would never be violent again, and with their young daughter to consider, the couple reunited the following year.

The reunion was also short-lived.

In March 2006, the couple divorced for the second and final time. According to Kim's sister, who spoke to SBS's investigative program "Unanswered Questions" (1992-) in 2019, Hwang told his wife he wanted to live with another woman he was seeing. The daughter moved in with the father, living apart from the mother, who suffered from cancer.

By 2008, Kim had also moved on. The man stabbed alongside her that day was her new boyfriend, someone she had been dating for just two months.

Hwang had repeatedly tried to contact Kim, desperate to find out where she was, but she refused to meet him. To get her to agree to contact, he used their daughter, sending an email saying he would hand over custody.

Believing she was going to see her daughter, Kim responded to Hwang and decided to show up at the terminal — only to be met with a knife.

After the attack, police found Hwang's truck in the parking garage. The open cargo area was covered with a blue plastic tarp. Beneath it were a hatchet, knife, shovel, sack, large plastic bag and a wardrobe big enough to fit an adult, according to police.

The daughter had already left after contacting a relative in Seoul, as her father did not return for hours.

A fugitive vanishes

"Has he really still not been caught?"

The question appears again and again in the comments section of YouTube videos about the case, even those uploaded years later. Many express disbelief that Hwang has managed to evade capture for so long, noting how familiar his face looks after all this time.

He has appeared on wanted posters for more than a decade, long enough for ordinary residents to recognize him. So where is he now?

The day after the murder, Hwang appeared on subway surveillance cameras multiple times.

At Sindorim Station, one of Seoul's busiest transit hubs, he called his former broth...

The author is an honorary professor at UST and former president of the Korea Institute of Science and Technology Information.

Recent research has produced an intriguing finding. When more than 70 artificial intelligence models were given the same open-ended question, many generated strikingly similar answers. Despite differences in companies and architectures, the ideas, structures and metaphors in their responses were largely alike. The result raises a critical question: in a world where difference fades, where does creativity come from.

Artificial intelligence works by learning vast amounts of data and identifying the most plausible answer. In other words, the averages and probabilities of the past shape the responses of the present. As a result, AI outputs tend to be rational and balanced, yet they rarely depart far from what is expected. This is both a strength and a limitation. Many of history's major discoveries began with thoughts that deviated from the norm, often sparked by the question of why everyone thinks the same way.

There is a Korean proverb that says a protruding stone gets hammered down. It implies that those who stand out are trimmed until they become smooth. Yet the present era may be demanding the opposite. When answers converge toward sameness, ideas that break away from established frames and questions that seem slightly offbeat can open new possibilities. Like Sha Wujing in the story of Sun Wukong, a figure who often gives unexpected replies can disrupt the flow and create new paths.

As AI becomes more sophisticated, it will deliver optimal answers with increasing speed. But an optimal answer is not always the best one. This is especially true in science and innovation. The ability to reframe familiar questions and to doubt what seems obvious remains a distinctly human domain. Perhaps we now live in a time when it is better to preserve the protruding stone rather than to smooth it away. In an age overflowing with correct answers, questions become more valuable. And those questions often begin with thoughts that are just a little unconventional.

Such unconventional thinking does not always appear efficient or immediately useful, but it introduces variation into a system that would otherwise converge on sameness. In environments driven by optimization, even a small deviation can redirect the trajectory of inquiry. The history of science and culture shows that progress often emerges from misfits, errors and unexpected detours.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.

The author is a professor at the Sogang Institute for Euro-MENA Studies at Sogang University.

At around 9:40 a.m. on Feb. 28, the United States and Israel launched an invasion and airstrike on Tehran, Iran's capital, killing about 40 members of the country's leadership, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. It marked the opening of a second war on Iran, following a conflict that began on June 13 of last year with Israel's pre-emptive strike. In the first war, Israel mainly carried out the attacks while the United States assisted by bombing nuclear facilities. In this second war, however, the United States and Israel launched the assault together from the very beginning.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said of the war launched together with the United States, "We are now able to realize something I have long wished for over 40 years. That is to uproot the terrorist regime." Since appearing on the international stage in 1984 as Israel's ambassador to the United Nations, Netanyahu has consistently stressed the "threat from Iran" and repeatedly hoped for and urged a U.S. attack on Iran. Israel alone would find it difficult to deal with Iran, and the effect would be limited. If Iran is to be thoroughly brought down, U.S. help is essential.

It is reasonable to view this war as one asked for by Israel and answered by the United States. On Dec. 29 last year, after the first war, Netanyahu grew concerned that Iran's number of ballistic missiles was increasing faster than expected and secured U.S. President Donald Trump's approval for an airstrike operation to eliminate them. But after the sudden outbreak of protests in Iran on Dec. 28 last year, and while watching developments through a third round of U.S.-Iran nuclear talks this year, the attack was abruptly launched ahead of a fourth round of talks in the first week of last month.

The core goal of the war appears to have been regime change in Iran. According to Israeli media, shortly before the war, the head of Israel's intelligence agency Mossad told Netanyahu that if Iran's leadership were removed and the regime dealt a severe blow, Mossad and the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency knew how to help the Iranian people return to the streets and achieve regime change. At the start of the war, Israel's defense minister suggested it would end within four days. But events did not unfold as the United States and Israel had intended.

Trump seems to have expected that if the core of Iran's regime were struck, protesters would be able to come out into the streets freely and bring about regime change. Announcing the start of the war, Trump told the Iranian people, "Once we finish our mission, take control of your government. It will be yours. This may be a once-in-generations opportunity for you." But contrary to expectations, protests did not break out and Iran's military retaliation was fierce. Although the country lost its leadership, the counterattack proceeded according to plans already prepared in anticipation of such a vacuum.

Even Iranians who had taken part in anti-government protests before the war were likely left stunned by the merciless U.S. and Israeli airstrikes. Some may once have hoped to bring down the regime with help from the United States and Israel, but many likely changed their minds as they watched family members and neighbors die under falling bombs and saw their country being destroyed. Above all, for protests to succeed, force must combine with the demonstrators in the form of a revolt from within the military. But there were no clear signs of division in Iran's armed forces serious enough to make such an uprising succeed. Unless the United States were to send in ground troops and change the regime in a manner close to conquest, the odds of regime change through protests alone are slim.

To say, in effect, "We will strike, so come out," is really to tell protesters to fight a battle they cannot win. In Iran, the authorities did not immediately launch l...

Kang Won-taek

The author is a professor of political science and international relations at Seoul National University.

The news that National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik and six political parties, including the ruling Democratic Party, have agreed to pursue constitutional revision brings mixed feelings. Those who have long advocated for amending the 1987 constitutional system and moving toward a more decentralized structure may be welcoming the announcement. But given the current state of politics, doubts arise regarding whether that effort is feasible and whether it may deepen existing conflict and division.

Revising a nation's constitutional framework requires a high level of political agreement. With the current polarization and hostility between political factions, it is difficult to be confident that such a major project can proceed smoothly. While the proposed revisions are said to involve few major disagreements, both the substance and process behind the amendments are critical in an undertaking of this scale.

In that respect, it is worth revisiting the history of the 1987 constitutional revision. At the time, the ruling Democratic Justice Party secured 148 of 276 seats in the 12th National Assembly — a clear majority. The opposition New Korea Democratic Party initially won 67 seats and later expanded to 103 by absorbing other opposition forces before being reorganized as the Reunification Democratic Party, which had 74 seats. Despite this near two-to-one disparity, the constitutional revision was conducted through an "eight-member political consultative group," composed of four representatives from each side.

The talks began on July 31, 1987, and progressed smoothly. By Aug. 31, the participants had reached an agreement on the constitutional preamble and all 130 articles, excluding only supplementary provisions, such as the effective date and the timing of legislative elections.

Reflecting on how such a comprehensive agreement was reached within a month, Lee Yong-hee, one of the opposition representatives, later noted that the most contentious issue, the structure of political power, had already been resolved by Roh Tae-woo's June 29 Declaration on democratization in the lead-up to his presidency. Lee also emphasized that the participants, being senior politicians, understood each other's positions well, which helped facilitate negotiations.

Comparing that period with the present reveals several differences. First, disputes were not settled through majority rule. Despite a significant gap in parliamentary seats, the negotiating body was evenly composed, signaling a clear intention not to handle constitutional revision through numerical dominance. The discussions proceeded through negotiation and consensus rather than unilateral imposition. This approach later became a guiding principle in parliamentary practice after the 13th National Assembly in 1988.

Today, however, majoritarian and unilateral politics have become commonplace. Even if there appears to be little disagreement over the broad direction of reform, differences are likely to emerge when specific issues are debated. It is uncertain whether the current National Assembly can resolve such differences through compromise rather than relying on numerical strength.

Lee also pointed to mutual understanding among senior lawmakers as a key factor in the success of the 1987 negotiations, suggesting that the situation required political experience, authority and a degree of trust between the ruling and opposition parties. In contrast, today's politics is marked by relationships that are arguably more adversarial and exclusionary than even those of the authoritarian era. Under such conditions, it is difficult to expect lawmakers to exercise political judgment and reach agreements through concessions.

Even if representatives manage to reach a difficult compromise, it remains unclear whether their parties will uphold it. There have been recent cases in which agreeme...

Government finances recorded a deficit exceeding 100 trillion won ($66.7 billion) for a second consecutive year in 2025, highlighting mounting concerns over fiscal sustainability. According to the government's fiscal report approved Monday, the combined debt of central and local governments surpassed 1.40 quadrillion won for the first time, reaching 49 percent of GDP.

The widening deficit reflects continued expansionary spending that has outpaced fiscal capacity. If such policies persist amid a prolonged conflict in the Middle East, pressure on fiscal soundness is likely to intensify and leave limited room for policy response.

The management fiscal balance, a key indicator of fiscal health, showed a deficit of 104.2 trillion won, or 3.9 percent of GDP. Although slightly improved from the previous year, it remains well above the government's fiscal rule threshold of minus 3 percent. In international comparison, Korea's debt is rising rapidly. The general government debt ratio, which includes liabilities of noncommercial public institutions, climbed to 56.7 percent of GDP, ranking 19th among 37 major economies, up sharply from 30th place in 2008.

Concerns are also growing over the accuracy of tax revenue forecasts. Even accounting for strong semiconductor exports, a discrepancy of about 25 trillion won emerged within just three months of the fiscal year. Such a gap is difficult to attribute to a simple technical error. Inaccurate projections can distort budget planning, create room for additional spending and undermine policy credibility.

The recent controversy over a supplementary budget reflects these concerns. The government described the plan as one that would not require additional government bond issuance, but analysis by the National Assembly Budget Office suggests otherwise. Without the supplementary budget, excess tax revenue would have been carried over as surplus and more than half used to reduce national debt. Redirecting these funds to spending has an effect similar to issuing new debt.

As fiscal rules, transparency and revenue forecasting come under strain, the risk of what some describe as "fiscal addiction" increases. Rising debt ultimately shifts the burden to future generations. Young people already facing a difficult job market may bear the cost if debt continues to accumulate under the justification of short-term economic support.

Even in times of crisis, fiscal resources must be allocated with discipline and precision. As the National Assembly reviews the supplementary budget, described as a "wartime budget," it should carefully screen out unnecessary or populist spending and focus on measures that are both necessary and sustainable.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.

This article is by Ahn Hyo-seong and read by an artificial voice.

The government will move to mandate solar panels on the rooftops of new factories, as part of a broader push to accelerate Korea's transition to renewable energy, officials said Monday.

The plan, presented to the Cabinet by the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment, comes as President Lee Jae Myung frames the Middle East crisis as a turning point for Korea's energy strategy.

"We must move faster, recognizing that transforming our energy grid could determine the nation's fate," Lee said.

At the core of the government's vision is a rapid expansion of renewable energy. It aims to reach 100 gigawatts in installed capacity ahead of its original 2030 target. With current capacity at about 37 gigawatts, that would require nearly tripling output within four years.

To get there, policymakers are betting on solar power, which can be deployed relatively quickly. Alongside rooftop mandates for new industrial complexes and large factories, the government plans to expand agro-photovoltaic systems on farmland and floating solar installations on reservoirs.

The plan also seeks to broaden public buy-in by sharing profits with local communities. Under a proposed model , residents would receive a share of project revenues and be allowed to invest in transmission infrastructure. Officials estimate that about 10 million people could benefit from such income streams.

Lee argued that idle farmland could generate higher returns through solar projects than traditional agriculture.

Still, questions remain about whether the targets are achievable. Meeting them would require adding 56 gigawatts of solar capacity over the next four years, or more than 14 gigawatts annually. Last year, only 3.9 gigawatts were added, according to the Korea Energy Agency — which means capacity increases would need to triple.

Grid constraints pose another major hurdle. Even if capacity expands, limited transmission lines and substations could restrict the flow of electricity to demand centers.

"The key issue is expanding the grid's capacity to absorb power at the regional level," said Lee Won-ju, a senior official responsible for energy transition policy, adding that the government will scale up energy storage systems and other flexible resources to ease bottlenecks.

Variability in solar generation also remains a concern.

Output peaks during daylight hours and drops sharply at night, creating the so-called duck curve, which requires fossil fuel generation to ramp down and then quickly back up. Extreme weather and seasonal shifts can further amplify volatility, placing additional strain on the grid.

Moon Joo-hyun, an energy engineering professor at Dankook University, questioned the plan's feasibility.

"Both the speed and scale of expanding solar capacity lack realism," Moon said. "Policies like solar income schemes could ultimately push up electricity prices."

He added that boosting renewable capacity without sufficient investment in storage could further destabilize the grid.

Beyond electricity, the government plans to accelerate electrification in heating and transport. It will begin managing heat energy, which accounts for 48 percent of total consumption, at the national level, shifting residential and industrial heating from LNG toward electricity and renewable sources. This includes expanding the use of heat pumps that draw on air, geothermal and water-based energy.

In transport, officials aim to raise the share of electric and hydrogen vehicles to 40 percent of new car sales by 2030, with a focus on fleets such as police cars, taxis, rental vehicles and corporate cars.

The government also plans to phase out coal-fired power plants by 2040, while keeping 21 plants with remaining operational life as backup capacity in case of spikes in global fuel prices or disruptions to renewable generation.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of ge...