Eight out of 10 Koreans reported feeling the effects of climate change in their everyday lives, with many  believing the negative impact was already occurring or expected to occur within the next 10 years. 

While they recognized that climate change was affecting their everyday lives, families, and local communities, they perceived the impact to be greater than their immediate surroundings, both across the country and globally.  
This suggests that they may not yet fully grasp the severity of the crisis. This perception is supported by the fact that ‘climate change/environment protection’ ranked sixth as a major challenge facing Korea, lagging far behind issues such as ‘low birth rate‘, ‘social conflict‘, and  ‘polarization’. 

As a result, the extent of communication regarding climate change falls somewhat short of the level of impact felt by Koreans. 

Koreans overwhelmingly favor renewable energy, expressing very strong trust in its ‘safety’. However, it was considered somewhat economically unattractive due to costs associated with construction/deconstruction, power generation, and maintenance. For Koreans, the most preferred energy mix was found to consist of 31% renewable energy and 26% nuclear energy, which is slightly above the 2020 level of renewable energy and slightly below the 2030 target for nuclear energy (32%). 

Overall, renewable energy was perceived very positively, and the perception of the transition to renewable energy as a very important and urgent issue was found to be firmly established.  

However, concerns about 1) cost (infrastructure investment/maintenance), 2) reliable supply and demand, and 3) the feasibility of renewables as the primary energy source need to be addressed. In connection with these concerns, Koreans exhibit a lukewarm attitude toward the effectiveness of individual efforts and also their willingness to pay a premium for renewable energy-based electricity despite a general agreement on the need for a transition.  

In summary, Koreans acknowledge the need for energy transition, but they attribute related responsibilities primarily to corporations and the government, viewing it as a realm influenced by politics. Given that more than half of them are skeptical about the effectiveness of individual efforts, they don’t fully perceive the current climate crisis as an urgent challenge facing themselves and their families. 

Thus, to effectively address current perceptions and attitudes, it is necessary to divide Koreans into six segments based on their views on climate change and energy transition, demographics and political leanings. This would allow for tailored strategies for each group.