March 3, 2026 (SEOUL) – On February 12th, South Korea’s National Assembly passed an amendment to the New and Renewable Energy Act, addressing solar separation distance regulations unique to Korea that have long constrained solar deployment. This marks a critical policy turning point, as it dismantles entrenched administrative barriers and signals that the government has taken responsibility for establishing a more accountable administrative framework for solar energy. 

With the Lee Administration announcing the 100 GW renewable energy capacity goal by 2030, the amendment constitutes a decisive first step toward achieving this target. By removing discretionary rules that functioned as structural constraints on solar projects, the revised framework demonstrates the government’s determination to proactively accelerate solar deployment and fulfill the country’s emission reduction commitments.  

Under previous regulations, when granting permits for solar power generation facilities, local governments were able to impose separation distance requirements—often mandating that solar installations be located up to one kilometer away from roads and residential areas. While local governments frequently relied on the regulations as a structural mechanism to manage public complaints, in practice, regulations lacking scientific or objective grounds have deepened public distrust within local communities, unnecessarily restricted the availability of viable solar deployment sites, and further undermined national efforts to accelerate progress toward greenhouse gas reduction targets.  Such administrative fragmentation can delay climate crisis response and energy transition not only in South Korea but in other countries as well. 

Solutions for Our Climate (SFOC) have observed these recurring structural limitations for years and have argued that installation requirements imposed without scientific justification serve primarily as an instrument for managing social conflict rather than addressing technical risks. The central government must take responsibility for managing and coordinating this issue through clear standards. Solar separation distance regulations should, in principle, be prohibited.   

The recent adoption of the amendment marks an important milestone, establishing a clear legal basis by stipulating that the requirements may only be applied in areas explicitly designated by law, including historical and cultural preservation areas, ecological and landscape conservation areas, or in exceptional cases designated by presidential decree.   

SFOC welcomes the fact that years of efforts by activists and citizens on the ground have borne fruit in the form of legislative reform, while also urging the government to consolidate this progress by reinforcing the ‘principle of prohibition, exception of permission’ through an enforcement decree for solar power installations, with clear national principles and standards to eliminate confusion at the local and field levels.   

Furthermore, rather than prioritizing development on previously untouched land, policy direction should enable solar power deployment primarily in already developed or disturbed areas such as industrial complexes, buildings, and idle or underutilized land.   

Beyond simply expanding installed capacity, SFOC also calls on the government to advance solar power as a public-friendly energy source. Solar power should not be regarded solely as an asset of developers, but as a tool through which all citizens can achieve greater energy self-reliance and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The vision of ‘solar power for all’ can be realized by creating diverse institutional frameworks that enable citizen participation, while simultaneously streamlining permitting progress and site regulations to establish predictable and consistent standards.   

SFOC will continue to monitor developments and provide policy recommendations to ensure that this legislative reform becomes a starting point for ending the fossil fuel era and achieving a genuine energy transition.  

ENDS.    

Solutions for Our Climate (SFOC) is an independent nonprofit organization that works to accelerate global greenhouse gas emissions reduction and energy transition. SFOC leverages research, litigation, community organizing, and strategic communications to deliver practical climate solutions and build movements for change.  

For media inquiries, please reach out to:   

Yu Huan Yin, International Communication Officer,  yuhuan.yin@forourclimate.org