▲ President Lee Jae-myung delivers a toast at the official dinner of the 1st Korea-Central Asia Summit 2026 held at a hotel in Seoul on September 16.
President Lee Jae-myung met with Fatih Birol, Executive Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA), to discuss international energy industry and policy trends amid the Middle East war and the climate crisis, as well as ways to cooperate on energy security in the Asia-Pacific region.
Meeting with Executive Director Fatih Birol at Cheong Wa Dae today (September 17), President Lee noted, "Although [Korea is] extensively revamping its energy system to focus on renewable energy, the energy crisis caused by the recent Middle East crisis has posed a major obstacle to this transition," and asked about response strategies.
Executive Director Birol answered that the world is experiencing an energy crisis due to the Middle East war and is adopting "electrification" as a response strategy to avoid enduring the same difficulties again, Senior Cheong Wa Dae Spokesperson Kang Yu-jung stated in a written briefing.
Electrification refers to the transition of energy consumption patterns away from fossil fuels like oil and coal toward electricity.
Executive Director Birol praised South Korea as a global exemplary model for pursuing electrification at the center of its energy policy.
In particular, he commended as exemplary strategic directions: ▲ taking groundbreaking measures in transportation, in addition to financial and fiscal moves, during the Middle East war to minimize the impact on the public; ▲ possessing a corporate supply chain in batteries, heavy electrical equipment, and power grids to support electrification energy policies; and ▲ moving to support electrification across developing Asian nations.
Pointing out the growing reliance on nuclear power generation driven by the Middle East war as countries around the world move toward "electrification" through renewable energy, President Lee also asked Birol for his stance on the matter.
In response, Executive Director Birol noted that countries including France, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands are expanding new nuclear power plants alongside the preservation of existing ones, answering, "Renewable energy will solidify its status as the main power source, but if nuclear power is also operated complementarily, it will be able to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and contribute to cutting greenhouse gas emissions."
(Photo: Yonhap News)
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